Remember the Old Ways
by slflew
Summary: Loki and Thor begin to discover aspects of their past that were previously concealed. As a great crime from the future echoes into the past, Odin's children are entwined with Time itself. Told from Loki's perspective, he must figure out how to navigate family secrets and newly found knowledge without losing himself. Focused on family relationships.
1. Chapter 1

Remember the old ways, young ones.

I am the Volva, the Seer, the Speaker of Truths, the Teller of Tales, and the Giver of Prophecies. I see Past, Present, and Future, and truths that only my sisters know.

Without the past, how can one learn for the future? Without prophecy, how will we hope? Without guides, we cry out into the universe, looking for a sign without the burning truths of the Volva to speak for it.

Though the Volvas are diminished, we are not gone. And we will not be forgotten. It is as the Universe wills it.

The threads of fate align, young ones. Pay heed and listen.

There are some days when it feels like nothing can go wrong, full of joyful bliss as everything clicks together perfectly, tumbling through perfect execution as if it had been perfectly planned.

This was not one of those days.

Loki had woken up late for the morning hunt, rushing to the stables without breakfast to try and catch up with his brother. Thor liked to ride forward without him anyways, leaving him trying to catch up like a child, as he did when racing against Thor on foot. Usually he was able to catch up quickly, however, with a late start, he reached the party only moments before they took down their prey. Thor had laughed, Fandral joining with him, Lady Sif shook her head, and Lord Forseti, who usually accompanied the hunting parties, sighed loudly. Hurt, Loki sullenly rode behind them as they laughed and chattered about inane things.

Things continued to feel….off. The Council meeting, which circled around lunch, was unusually strident, with members nearly coming to blows over trivial items, such as the menu for next week's luncheon. Their voices seemed almost muffled, as Loki couldn't seem to focus properly. Faces, voices, and actions around the table seemed almost as distant as a dream. As Loki tried to bring forward his attention, the only person he could truly discern was the immovable, almost statuesque form of his father.

As much as he tried to scrutinize Odin's face, he could never truly tell what his father was thinking. He'd attempted many times, particularly to anticipate his moods, but was continually surprised at what would break from his father's stoic demeanor.

Shaking his head, as if to ward off exhaustion, Loki returned to his chambers. He tapped his fingers on his leg as he tried to think of what he could do to stave off this...oddness. Read? Ugh, no, too boring. Go spar? Even though it might wake him up, it might not be a good idea if he was feeling off.

Loki's mind began to drift as he began noticing strange details about his chambers: the sharp edges of a desk, the texture of cushions, the gold filigree…

His reverie was sharply interrupted by harsh banging on his door. As he suspected, when he popped it open, he was greeted by the smiling face of his brother.

"Good afternoon!" Thor's voice was chipper as he pushed against the door.

Loki tried hard to keep it barely open. "What...is it...brother?"

"What are you doing?" asked Thor.

Oh, no. Thor was bored.

Loki strained, but had to let go of the door, which slammed open. Thor stumbled a bit, then caught himself, laughing.

Loki shook his head, not able to ward off a little grin. "Really, nothing. I've been feeling...strange all day."

Thor snorted. "You were just a little late this morning! I had to reassure Lord Forseti that you'd be along." He sauntered over to a side table, selecting a plum and biting vigorously into it. Loki tried to hide the annoyance - Loki loved plums, and Thor tended to eat his before they were ripe.

"Oh, he actually cared if I came?" Loki said wryly.

This seemed to take Thor off-guard. "Well, yes."

That off-feeling suddenly began to feel worse. It felt as though Asgard itself were tilting sideways - even Thor seemed to tumble with it, as Loki felt like he went flying out the window, beyond the bay, into the void itself. It sounded as though the universe was screaming wordlessly, as though a cry rang through his very soul. It seemed like there was an infinite amount of time between every heartbeat, until the cold spell of entropy seemed to overtake him.

As his senses returned, he slowly ran his hand over the cool, familiar tile. His brother gave a groan, and Loki opened his eyes to see Thor also picking himself up off the floor. His plum was, oddly, on the other side of the room.

Loki tried to get his attention. "Brother?"

Thor shook his head, then focused on Loki. "What was that, an attack?" His voice was tense.

"You felt it too?" Loki asked, puzzled, and began getting up. He slipped, however, as his hand was in something wet. Holding it up, he saw it was black with ink.

Ink was streaked across the floor, leading to a piece of paper. Thor ran over, rescuing it before more ink could soak into it.

Loki joined him, holding out his hand so as not to get ink on his clothes. "What is it?" he asked.

Thor shook his head. "It's barely legible."

Loki took the paper. It was his own handwriting, large and extraordinarily sloppy, as though written with great haste.

"_Remember the old ways, Children of Time._"

That was all. Loki shook his head. "I don't remember writing this."

"Is it your handwriting?" asked Thor, staring at the splash of ink on the floor.

"Yes. But did you...did you feel…like the universe was…" Loki struggled to put his experience into words. They didn't do it justice, and he couldn't truly describe the feeling. Perhaps he could later, with a little introspection.

Thor glanced at him with almost a keen look in his eye. "Like the universe was saying something."

Loki relaxed. "Yes. Like you were falling out of Asgard."

Nodding, Thor went over to the balcony, looking out over the city. "I think if Asgard had taken a hit there'd be more pandemonium." He paused. "I wonder what old ways that paper means."

Loki tried to focus on the feeling he'd been having, but it was gone - replaced instead by a deep dread. "Thor?"

His brother looked back at him. "Yes?"

"Were you feeling strange earlier this morning?"

Thor shrugged. "A little, but I wasn't worried about it."

_Then why didn't you say anything,_ Loki retorted mentally and shook his head, annoyed, laying out the paper on his desk to dry.

"What do you think it means?" he asked tentatively.

Thor looked at him sharply. "I thought you might know better, and…" He narrowed his eyes in suspicion. "...if this is a trick, it's a very bad one."

Loki couldn't help but roll his eyes. "Trust me, if it was me, it'd have been more entertaining." He paused, thinking. "I don't know what this means. If I wrote this…it must've been important." Looking back at his brother, he returned to that fear that had begun to take hold in his gut. "Do you have a - a distressing feeling now?"

Thor tried to smile, but he looked distressed. "Yes. It's like...something is going to happen. Something big." He looked away briefly. "Loki…I don't know what happened, but…"

When one is a sibling, there can be many messages easily inferred through body language and tone. This was what Thor was saying: "I don't know what this is, but we can't tell other people about it, I don't want Mother to worry or Father to find out because that makes me sound vulnerable and I'm the crown prince." Well, at least, that's what Loki inferred.

"Don't worry," Loki said. "But I'd like to at least ask Mother about this 'Children of Time' phrase; I can work it in without mentioning what happened."

Thor nodded. "Let me know what you find out."

"I've never heard of it," said Queen Frigga firmly.

Loki frowned. Mother was familiar with a fair amount of history and magical lore - generally his primary source for this type of information. "The phrase isn't even...familiar? Perhaps it's a fragment…"

"No, it's not familiar, Loki," Frigga said, her voice taking on an authoritative tone. "Where did you hear it?"

"Just out in public," Loki said, the lie slipping easily off his lips.

Frigga frowned. "Well, think nothing of it," she said before leaving abruptly.

Loki blinked, trying to make sense of the short conversation as he turned to go find his brother. Thor was in his usual spot - the sparring courtyard - for the evening. Usually Thor would continue despite noticing his brother, but with the events of the day before, Thor stopped, motioning for Fandral to practice without him.

"Anything?" Thor asked, folding his sweaty arms.

"No, but…" Loki hesitated. "Mother was rather adamant about her ignorance."

Thor squinted. "What made you notice?"

Loki shook his head. "It was like she didn't want to speak about it."

"You think she knows about it, then?"

"Perhaps. If she does, she doesn't want to talk about it, so…"

Thor pursed his lips, frowning. "We'll need to find out on our own, then."

Loki sighed. "I'm afraid so." Thor looked at Loki hard, and Loki knew exactly what it meant. "And I'll go find out."

Thor broke out in a grin. "Thanks, brother," he said, patting Loki's arm.

As advanced as Asgard was, the digitization of paper records was still an ongoing process, given the glut of paper records kept over thousands of years by fastidious Asgardians. Although their databases were extensive, Loki found his phrase frustratingly elusive. After a few days of fruitless research, Loki realized with a sinking feeling that he was going to have to make a trip down to the Archives.

While the palace had its own library of particularly rare and spectacular books, the Archives were the place with the most comprehensive collection of Asgardian works. While Loki loved to find secrets and arcane bits of lore, they tended to be found in more interesting private collections. He had found the Archives to be a rather dull place with dusty old librarians.

Still, they might be able to help him find what he was looking for.

The Archives were in a large circular building, with pillars supporting a tall roof and tiers of shelves, highlighting the jewel-colored bindings of their denizens. Loki couldn't help but crane his neck like a child, taking in the sheer size of the building.

"Prince Loki!"

Loki snapped back to reality to focus on the older archivist in front of him.

The white-haired woman smiled at him. "It's an honor to see you here. Is there something I can do for you?"

"Ah...yes," Loki said, straightening. _A prince does not show his uncertainty. _"I'm looking for the origin of a specific phrase…" Subconsciously, he still hesitated before saying it, as though it were a secret. His mother's reaction flitted briefly through his mind.

"What phrase would that be, your highness?"

"Ah - 'Children of Time.'"

The archivist considered this, giving no strong reaction. _Probably a good thing._ "I'm not familiar with the phrase, but I can ask some of my colleagues. Perhaps they can point you in the right direction." The woman disappeared down a corridor, with a fair amount of time passing before she returned. "Only one of them had a vague recollection of the phrase. They believe it's from a prophecy."

"Oh," Loki said guardedly. That was not a good sign. Prophecies tended, more often than not, to be wrong, full of nonsense, and were so vague they could be interpreted for any situation. "No further idea of where to look?"

"I'm afraid not," the archivist replied with a sympathizing look. "I can show you where the prophecies are and I have some ideas of where to start."

As he expected, the section devoted to prophecies was quite large. The archivist suggested the prophecies of Voluspa to begin, noting that her prophecy of Ragnarok was the most well-known amongst Asgardians. With that, Loki was left to begin researching on his own.

It certainly wasn't going to be an easy task. The prophecies were written in an older form of Asgardian which was just archaic enough to be a headache to read. Loki set about skimming the pages to find the phrase.

It didn't just take days, the search was taking weeks. Loki's absence from the palace had been noticed, and it didn't take long before Loki heard the familiar sound of his mother's footsteps while he was shoulder-deep in books.

He spun an illusion quickly to disguise the books at hand, with barely enough time to look natural as his mother rounded the corner. "There you are!" she said, almost exasperated. "Loki, you've been missing council meetings, and…"

"Yes," he said, trying to catch her off-guard. "I've just been researching some things for a policy proposal."

Frigga hesitated. "You're considering a proposal? That's the first time you've even mentioned the idea."

Loki nodded. "I'd...I'd tell you about it, but I'm researching some history before I put my thoughts together." Hopefully that would adequately explain his extensive absence.

She nodded, glancing at the books, then looking around at the surrounding bookshelves. "I do hope that you're not looking at any of these prophecies for historical guidance," she said absent-mindedly. "They tend to be wrong and full of nonsense than anything else!"

"As you've told me multiple times, Mother," Loki said with a nod and a smile.

Frigga came over and squeezed his arm gently. "I'm glad you're getting more interested in affairs running the Nine Realms," she said softly. "Your father will notice."

"Thank you," Loki said, his heart hurting just a little. He didn't truly wish to lie about this, especially to Frigga. Perhaps...perhaps he should actually consider doing a proposal. Although, the risks of it being rejected or dismissed by his father were fairly high. Loki winced at even the idea of being humiliated so in front of the council.

Probably not a great idea. It'd be easier simply to say he'd changed his mind. As he'd learned, it was often easier to conjure a failure rather than tell the truth. Perhaps it was considered a weakness in Asgardian society, but it furthered his ends nonetheless.

With his mother sufficiently appeased, Loki was left to continue without interruption. As the days went on, he began to consider giving up. Thor seemed to have dismissed the strange incident they'd shared, not bringing it up again, even in confidence. Loki no longer had that strange feeling, simply the lingering, constant feeling of dread. He began shortening his visits to the Archives so that he could begin a more consistent schedule.

It was nothing short of a miracle, then, that in his truncated research sessions, Loki finally happened upon what he was looking for.


	2. Chapter 2

Thor was at a dinner with the Warriors Three when Loki found him, carrying his prized find. He strode into the room, focused on Thor, before realizing what situation he'd just walked into. The Warriors Three were his brother's closest friends, and he'd interrupted them doing the activity they liked best besides slaying and sparring - eating.

Loki put on his best grin and began to back out of the room. "Perhaps later," he said quietly, as all eyes were on him. Loki had learned that this type of affair was not his, as the evenings tended to be full of boasting, laughter, and unsubtle jabs at his general incompetence.

"Nonsense!" came a voice behind him, and Lady Sif came in the entrance behind him. "You're welcome to eat with us, Loki." She strode confidently to the table, her ponytail mirroring her swift movement. "Sorry I'm late, boys. Did you devour everything?"

"Oh please," Fandral said snidely, "He'll just ruin the fun."

"What fun?" Loki quipped before thinking, then winced. Lady Sif snickered.

"What are you after, Loki?" Thor asked, visibly annoyed.

"Is that a book?" Volstagg, his red beard splayed across his chest, said incredulously. "I thought we had databases for those sorts of things."

"People still read books, Volstagg," Fandral said, frustrated. "Just because you don't doesn't mean the rest of Asgard follows." There were chuckles across the table.

Loki held the book close. "I need to speak with you, brother," he said, finally. "About personal business."

Thor took another bite. "Whatever you need to say, Loki, you can tell me right here."

Loki's smile tightened. "I'm afraid I can't, Thor." i Please don't ask why, please don't ask why… /i

"Why not?" Thor said, looking hard at Loki.

The other four were also regarding him intently, now. He was going to have to come up with a solid clue that his brother would be able to grasp.

That wasn't going to be easy.

After a brief pause, he finally came up with something. "It regards our mutually received message."

All eyes turned intently to Thor. Thor frowned. "What message?"

i Damn. /i

Now he really needed to get Thor's attention. "The one regarding children."

Thor's eyes went wide. i "Children?" /iasked Volstagg with a laugh.

"Got something to tell us, Thor?" asked Sif with a wide smile.

"Please excuse me, friends," Thor said, getting up with a stressed smile. He gave Loki a reprimanding glance.

He took Loki's arm, giving it just a little too strong of a squeeze as he pulled him around the corner into the hallway. "Really?" Thor asked, annoyed, "Was there no more tactful way to phrase that, brother?"

Loki bridled. "Look, I can't help it if you forget possibly the most interesting thing that's happened in the past few months. I tried to be tactful, you ignored me."

"I can't read your mind, Loki!" Thor hissed. "Now what is it?"

Loki held up the book, a faded red with gold-gilded edges. "I found the phrase."

"The Children of Time one?"

"Yes, but could we get out of the hallway to a more private spot, please?" Loki looked around his brother's shoulder at a servant that had scuttled by, holding a platter of half-eaten cheeses.

They moved to a relatively more quiet spot, a terrace surrounded by a hedge. A couple of braziers gave warmth to the otherwise cold spot, as the first frost of the year had already been given. They shed just enough light for Loki to read without a spell.

Thor leaned against a wall. "You're building my anticipation, brother, this had better be good."

Loki smiled. "I make no guarantees." He began,

i "_Children of Time_

_Three become One_

_Shall grace the Halls _

_Of Bor's kin_

_Godkillers, all_

_Shall harness the light_

_And with its strength _

_Unite disparate aspects_

_And from all ashes_

_Ignite the fires of creation. /i_

"Appropriately vague for a prophecy, I think," Loki added before looking up at his brother, whose brow was furrowed.

"Bor's kin," Thor rumbled, rubbing his beard thoughtfully. "That's specific; how do we know that this prophecy hasn't already been fulfilled when Father was younger and King Bor still ruled?"

Loki tapped his finger on the page and began to pace. "This was spoken and recorded by a Seer named Sefa, who prophesied while Buri was still king and Bor was still a prince. I don't, however, know of any events similar that have already occured, do you?"

Thor shook his head. "No, nothing in what I've learned, certainly, and nothing that Father's mentioned." He paused, his eyes tracking the movements of Loki. "It seems to me the most important part is the 'three become one.'"

Loki was deep in thought. "'Godkillers' is the part that stands out the most," he said softly, "it comes in the middle of the prophecy."

Thor wasn't about to be sidetracked. "The three in one, it sounds like the triquetra." He raised an eyebrow, more than a little pleased that he'd offered a helpful contribution rather than letting Loki do all the work.

Loki stopped in his tracks, his eyes widening as he looked at Thor. The triquetra was a common symbol in Asgard, a three-pointed knot that was ubiquitous in the palace's many adornments. "I've never considered what that symbol means," he said hesitantly.

"I remember asking Father once," Thor said, shifting, uncrossing his arms to a more relaxed position. "He never answered but one of the Council members at the time…" he stopped, considering. "I don't recall his name, but he told me that the three points represented Asgard, Midgard, and Jotunheim."

Loki frowned. "I wonder why those three out of the Realms. It seems that Vanaheim and Nidavellir, being our closer allies, would be better represented than our enemies and…"

"And a backwater realm?" Thor said, laughing. "I thought so, too. Didn't give his explanation a second thought."

"Perhaps he was just trying to pander to you," Loki said wryly, "and he didn't actually know."

"Who can say?" Thor said, a glimmer in his eye. "Honestly, I thought what you'd find would be a bit more dire, with the dread that I've been feeling."

Loki snapped the book shut. "I agree, particularly since the other well-known prophecy is that of Ragnarok."

Silence fell on the terrace as the two of them contemplated the prophecy.

"Do you think there's someone we could ask to interpret this further?" Thor said finally, with a sigh.

"Someone with more….what? Knowledge?" Loki asked. "I suppose I could search for…"

"It seems knowledge isn't really the issue," Thor said, walking towards his brother. "You're knowledgeable, you know where to find further information."

"Well, yes," Loki said, with a smile.

"It seems like the best person to go to about a prophecy would be...a prophet. Perhaps the Chanter, or," Thor said, gesturing at the book, "a Seer."

Loki couldn't help but chuckle. "There aren't any Seers left. They disappeared."

"They did?"

"Well yes, effectively. The last prophecies in the Archives are from just before Odin came to power."

"So then...perhaps Chanter Skirnir might know something."

Loki ran his finger over the binding of his book. "I'd prefer not to go to the Chanter myself," he said, a jolt of fear running through him.

Thor shrugged. "Not a problem, Loki, you can accompany me." He turned to go. "Thank you, Loki, for doing that research."

"You're welcome, brother."

As Thor's large form melted into the shadows, Loki was left on the terrace, the cool breeze stirring the edges of his jacket. It was unusual to receive thanks from his brother, and it was the first time, in a long time, that he felt they'd had a connection. A common goal, as it were. It felt satisfying, since they'd drifted apart over the years, focusing on their separate goals.

Of course, he'd never admit that to Thor's face.

Chanter Skirnir had held his position as long as Odin had been king; his position had been created in order to provide the traditional services the King would provide, had the population of Asgard not swelled in size. For the most part, the Chanter would preside over weddings, adoptions, and funerals that were not directly overseen by royalty. Because of its connection to the monarchy, however, its halls symbolically connected the palace with the rest of the city.

Thor strode confidently amongst the pillars, his broad shoulders and red cloak seeming to almost hide the less imposing form of Loki. Thor seemed comfortable here; he'd been asked to perform rituals there previously for some of the more prominent families in the city. Loki, however, had never done so. He didn't particularly care for currying the favor of the elite.

Loki's relationship with Chanter Skirnir was rocky, to say the least. He'd delighted in tormenting the man when he was younger, particularly ruining the Chanter's fastidiously groomed outfits just before ceremonies. He'd scattered in as an errant squirrel during one marriage, causing the most amusing chaos as women screamed in terror and men tried to beat him down. Good times.

"Welcome, your majesties!" Chanter Skirnir's booming voice filled the hall. He stood immaculate in robes of white, trimmed with gold. As Thor approached, he held out his arm, with Thor took in greeting. Skirnir glanced over at Loki, who tried to give a magnanimous smile, and Skirnir looked him over. While the Chanter's expression did not change, Loki was keenly aware that he was not welcome.

Skirnir addressed Thor. "How may I help you, my prince? Has someone asked you to preside over a ceremony? Lady Sif, perhaps?" he asked with a slight grin.

Thor laughed awkwardly. "Ah, no, Chanter, I was wondering if you could enlighten me on a topic. I'm aware you know the people far better than we do," he said, gestured to Loki and himself.

"Well," the Chanter said, "I don't like to boast, but I do see more Asgardians than the King nowadays." He leaned slightly towards Thor with a smile. "Of course, when it comes to soldiers, you are far more of an expert than me! I've heard nothing short of praise for your prowess in battle!"

"Ah, well, it seems like the Realms need intervention more than ever," said Thor dismissively.

i Careful, Thor, /i Loki thought impulsively. i Information runs the court. /i

"Yes, well, with the future of Asgard in your hands, I'm sure that the Realms will be put to rest!" said Skirnir smoothly.

Thor smiled. "Chanter, I did come here with a question, not seeking praise."

"Name it, my friend."

"I've heard a prophecy, and…"

"A prophecy!" Skirnir interrupted. "Please, my Prince, tell me you are not taking the guidance of witches." He glanced over at Loki, then back at Thor.

Thor frowned, seemingly confused. "Witches? I don't - I thought prophecies came from Seers. Witches, they are the dark ones from tales..."

Skirnir shrugged. "Witches, Seers, they're merely different names for the same thing."

Loki's heart felt like it had stopped. He'd thought the Seers as entirely different from the dark magicians in the stories told to children.

"What happened to them?" Thor asked, frowning.

"It doesn't matter," said Skirnir, laughing. "Please, Thor, do not trouble yourself with such superstitious nonsense. Before your father, the kings were a cautious, superstitious bunch. They'd consult witches for everything - even before going to war!" He laughed again, the halls echoing it back. "Imagine - asking anyone's permission before going to war?!"

Thor's face held mixed emotions. "I thought they could tell the future, maybe it was wise…"

Skirnir frowned. "No, Thor, there is no authority above the king. I would've expected that your father would have instilled this in you as the crown prince."

"He has…"

"Then listen. We make our own destinies, and as king, you will be the one forging the way forward for Asgard. You will define how people remember the past and you will be one making their future. There will be many who will whisper to you and divert you from that path," said Skirnir, glancing at Loki, then back at Thor intently, "or seek to stain your family's legacy. I know the people; do not let them see your family as weak, Thor, and do not be the one to make your family seem so."

Loki was holding his breath. He'd never heard anyone be so forward with his brother.

Thor nodded. "I wonder, however...if you know of anyone who identifies as a witch."

Mixed emotions flickered across Skirnir's face. "Do you seek to root them out, my prince?"

Thor glanced at Loki. "I...simply wish to know where the whispers to ignore are."

"Ah," Skirnir replied with a broadening smile. "I'm glad you'll take my advice. Fortunately there are no longer many, but Osk is an elder who still practices. I would stay away from her and her granddaughter, Maer."

Thor seemed deep in thought. "I thank you for your wisdom, Chanter," he finally said, then strode away. Loki paused briefly, and Skirnir looked at him haughtily, his chin raised. However, the Chanter said nothing to him. Turning, Loki walked quickly to try and catch his brother.

As Loki caught up, Thor seemed lost in his own thoughts. "Thor," said Loki, trying to catch his breath. "Thor, we have to find her. Osk. It was clever you still managed to get that information while letting him think you were taking his advice."

"No brother, we do not have to find her." Thor said, still walking. He glanced at his brother, looking almost ashamed.

"Oh, come on," Loki said, exasperated, "You have to be joking. That man in there? He was trying to get to you, to stroke your ego."

"Chanter Skirnir is nearly as old as father and, perhaps, as wise," said Thor, rounding a corner as they headed into the palace. "If he suspects that the Seers used dark magics, then perhaps that was the case. Father's reign has nothing but improved on that of his fathers'."

"Are you implying that superstition may have crippled King Bor?" said Loki, laughing, then stopped when he saw Thor's expression. "Brother, we cannot just let what happened go by without finding out what it meant."

Thor stopped, his cloak swinging to follow as he faced Loki, who nearly ran into him. "And what happened, what was it? Was it a dark magic, brother?"

Loki blinked rapidly. "I don't think so -"

"What that vision meant to influence us? To guide us down a path we shouldn't follow?" Thor's blue eyes were bright and hard, reflecting the sunlight that dappled through his golden hair. He pointed at Loki's chest. "How do we know you were not possessed by some fell spirit when we had that vision?"

"Now you're the one sounding superstitious," Loki spat, jerking back from his brother's accusatory gesture. "What, shall we run to Mother and see if I'm cursed? Possessed? Oh, what about a Changeling - or, maybe a demon in disguise? That's a good one."

"I didn't mean that it was you -" Thor said with resignation.

"No? I'm the one who's done most of the work for this anyway! Why would I lead you down a rabbit hole with nothing on the other side? Dark magics, please! What we saw was...transcendental."

Thor shook his head. "No brother, what I saw was fear."

Loki put his face in his hands, trying to figure out what would motivate Thor to at least follow this lead.

"Thor, whether or not this is sorcery, or prophecy, what is key is that we get to the bottom of what happened...if for no reason other than to prevent it from happening again." Loki looked up, trying to read Thor's expression. "If nothing else, perhaps you owe me that after all the work I've put into this."

Thor reached out and grasped Loki's shoulder. "You have put much effort into seeking answers." He paused, thinking. "Perhaps we can visit her, even just to meet her at the door. Can we get there clandestinely?"

Loki smiled. "Does a cat have claws?"


	3. Chapter 3

By the time the two princes were able to locate Osk's house, the evening was already waning. The city had begun to quiet as its citizens retreated to their hearths and families. Loki had disguised them both as slightly older, more sophisticated men with hooked noses - a favored method for Loki. They looked around carefully before Loki knocked on the door.

It was opened before he finished, warm firelight emanating from within. An elderly woman with dark eyes and a cloud of white hair stood there. Her voice was strong and clear for her feeble frame. "Well, two princes of Asgard at my doorstep. I never thought the day would come."

The two princes looked at one another. "How did you know it was us?" asked Loki, dropping the illusion. Thor looked around once more to check if they had been seen.

The old woman chuckled. "Please come in, I've made tea," she said, opening the door wide.

Loki made to go in, then checked to see if his brother would follow. Thor hesitated. "I thought we'd only check…"

"Thor," Loki said under his breath, "she's expecting us."

"That's the problem," Thor replied quickly.

"Please come in or out, your highnesses, I'm an old woman and subject to the evening chill," Osk said, rearranging the shawl wrapped around her.

"Thor, it means that maybe she saw us coming. That's a good sign if we're to find out…"

Thor nodded, exasperated. "Yes, fine!"

Osk ushered them into her modest home - in many ways too small for the exceedingly tall Loki and large frame of Thor. As they sat down near the hearth, she poured out a fresh-smelling tea for them, as well as a cup for herself and, finally, a fourth cup. The fourth cup she placed on an end table near an empty chair before settling down herself.

"Are you expecting someone else?" asked Thor, puzzled.

"Yes and no," said the old woman, blowing on her tea to cool it down. "One thing you will find about the Sight is that it often brings more questions than answers."

Loki leaned forward. "You know why we're here, then?"

"You're here about the 'Children of Time' prophecy, are you not?" asked Osk, the firelight glinting in her dark eyes.

The two brothers exchanged glances. "What can you tell us about it?" asked Thor.

Osk tapped her finger contemplatively against her cup. "The prophecy was largely ignored at the time it was spoken, since Prince Bor was preparing to be tested in battle. King Buri was concerned that his son was too...soft at the time to be named heir to the throne."

"How do you know this?" Loki asked. "With all due respect, surely...you were not there."

Osk laughed wholeheartedly. "No, indeed, Prince Loki, you're correct. I was not there. However, the Seers passed down histories from mother to daughter for a few generations, now."

"Orally?" Loki asked, leaning back and crossing his legs.

"Yes, it's been the easiest way to do so without losing them," Osk said. "Write it down, forget it, lose the book, then you've lost your history. Better to tell one another, I think. Perhaps it's an old-fashioned notion, but it's one that draws people closer together."

Loki pulled the book of Sefa's prophecies out of one of his pocket dimensions, materializing it for Osk to see. "Without this book, we wouldn't be here," he said authoritatively.

"Oh, is that true, Prince Loki," said Osk, grinning. "Tell me, where did you get the idea to look for it in the first place?"

Thor snorted, and Loki blushed before dematerializing the book, which made a popping sound as air rushed to fill the spot it left.

"Did you give us that vision?" asked Thor carefully, taking a sip of his tea.

Osk shook her head. "No, that was a moment shared between you and the universe, I think. An awakening for you as Children of Time."

Both princes shifted uncomfortably upon hearing this. "Then we are the Children mentioned?" asked Loki, a cold chill sweeping over his body.

"Undoubtedly."

"What does that phrase mean?" asked Thor. "We are sons of Odin…"

"I respect King Odin," said Osk, placing her cup on the table beside her and steepling her gnarled fingers, "however, us Seers have always known a simple truth: time rules all." She leaned forward. "Even a king cannot command time itself. Even nature, space, the universe itself, cannot withstand its ravages. Not even the Asgardians," she said, gesturing at her body, "as hard as we may try to find immortality. Being the child of a king is one thing, but being a child of time? Well, that is an honor indeed."

Thor glanced at Loki, who seemed to be captivated by Osk's words. "Is the prophecy saying that Seers are Children of Time?" Thor's voice was strained. "Are we Seers? We're not women-"

Once again, Osk laughed, relaxing. "You are different than Seers, Odinson, not to worry. You carry their gifts among you, however. The Sight is not a woman's gift, but the men who carried it…" she hesitated. "They were not...accepted by Asgardians. Thus the Seers for the public were women."

Thor sat back, grasping his knee tightly as he did when tense in council meetings. "Is that so."

Loki shifted, eyes drifting over to the fire, then back to Osk. She looked them over brightly, her face holding a seeming joy at being able to discuss this with the two brothers. She was the complete opposite of what Loki had expected - he'd thought of someone stern or distant, more like his father. This woman seemed so much more open, her emotions on the surface, but under control.

"Why would time itself need...children? Why is this happening now?" Loki asked, somewhat struggling with the concept.

Osk picked up the tea and took a long draught before saying anything. "The idea of children is more of a concept than reality, I think you probably understand that. It's the idea of the relationship of power, similar to your state as princes, sons of the king. As to how you were given this gift..." Osk gave a sad smile, looking down, as though thinking of something else. "You should ask your mother about that."

Loki's eyes grew wide. "She said she had never heard of this prophecy," he said.

"And you believed her?"

"No - but I could be wrong. She is not just our mother, she is the Queen."

"There's your first clue, then, Prince Loki." Osk got up to pour herself more tea. "It's often best to go with your instincts in these types of matters. The head may say something completely different and dissuade you." She sat back down, the wooden chair creaking slightly. "And something tells me you are the thinking type of person. Sometimes that's not a good thing."

"As for the timing, well," she continued, "I can't speak to that, but I will say - you've probably felt it. Something dark just past the horizon."

The two nodded. Osk pursed her lips. "Nature has a way of finding balance - time is in some ways very similar. A great wrong is going to happen. You feel it, deep down, don't you? I feel it. I don't know when it will happen, but as ever, time seeks to bring balance. I think - I will say I don't know - that is why this has echoed back, from that event, to you, to Sefa, and forward, like ripples in a pond. Perhaps you are to right the wrong, or stop it from happening." Her eyes drifted as she became lost in thought. "Time is a little strange that way."

"What about the phrase, 'Three become One'?" Loki asked, recalling the rest of the prophecy. This, he felt, was key - the rest of the prophecy seemed to reference events.

Osk looked down at her tea, her eyes holding a smile that she was attempting to hide. She ran her finger around the rim of the cup, then set it aside once more. "I think that requires a little more than just my attempts to interpret."

Thor let out a nervous laugh. "What?"

"This is your first time," Osk said, "and fortunately, it won't be your last. Don't be afraid, simply make sure to be careful what questions you ask. Some kings phrased their questions poorly and didn't receive the answers they desired." She sat up straight, resting her hands on her knees and closing her eyes.

The brothers looked at one another and back at Osk, who stood still and silent. As the silence awkwardly drew on, Thor finally leaned forward. A silent conversation between the two brothers proceeded. Loki looked at him with widening eyes, and shook his head. Thor frowned and mimicked shaking Osk. Loki squinted and mimed Osk frightened. Thor shrugged and gave Loki a questioning look, then acted as though she had died. Loki put his hand to his mouth as though contemplating.

Suddenly, Osk's eyes opened, giving the two princes a start. While they were open, Osk's dark eyes had rolled back, showing only the whites of her eyes. It was deeply unsettling. The woman spoke clearly and distinctly, but her voice seemed to be far away, as though her words were being pulled over a great distance. "Ask your questions, my lieges, before time winds past."

Loki opened his mouth, but fear caught his words. What if he asked the wrong question? Thor, ever impatient, blurted out, "What does 'Three become One' mean for us?"

Osk's face gave no reaction, staying as still as a mask, with her only movement the ones required to speak.

"Triquetra retains

Interpretive aspects

For some, meaning

Three Realms,

For the Seers,

Past, present, future.

For the three Children

Together they can

Unite to change

Time and creation."

Loki desperately wished he had a piece of paper, but tried to imprint every word on his memory. He felt as though there wasn't much time to waste, so as much as he wanted to think about what he'd heard, he had to push forward on his first response. Drawing in an adrenaline-fueled breath, he asked, "Who is the third Child?"

Thor looked at Loki, and for the first time in a long while, Loki saw terror behind his brother's eyes. For someone seasoned in battle, fear was not something that Thor showed often. However, Thor's body was stiff, his knuckles white, and it looked like he wanted nothing more than to run out of that room.

"Veiled once,

Then once again,

Protected, shielded,

Guarded, shrouded

But at costs unknown,

Despairing, lost

Singed by anger,

Bruised by stone,

Asked by Odin

To bear the burden

Of living unknowing

And alone."

Once again, Loki felt no time to parse her words. Thor moved to get up, but Loki grabbed his arm. "Please, brother, just a few moments more." Thor's eyes flitted between the door, Osk, and settled on Loki. He pursed his lips, but he sat back in his seat.

Loki's heart was beating fast as he turned to Osk. "What gifts are given the Children of Time?"

This time, the answer was blessedly specific.

"The Sight adapts

But to the Three

Are given a

Presence of time

To Thor Odinson

Sight of the Future

To the Child alone

Wisdom of the Present

And to Loki, Prince

Of Asgard, given

Insight into the Past."

With this, Osk - if she could be called Osk like this - stood, her eyes still white, but gestured for Loki to come closer.

As Loki got up, he heard Thor whisper, "Loki! No - Loki - don't -" but he was not about to take his brother's fear into account.

Osk took his hands into hers. They were warm and dry, a sharp contrast to his clammy fingers. "Many of us have desperate moments," she said softly. "You are open and ready. May you be there for them."

"What?" said Loki in surprise, then nearly jerked away when a light orange magic encircled his wrists, spiralling up his arms. His mind panicked and he ran through potential counterspells, but it was already too late. By the time he took away his hands, the magic had faded, as quickly as it had come. He looked back up at Osk, who was blinking rapidly, her eyes returned to normal.

Thor was already standing. "What did you do to my brother, woman?" he demanded. "What magic was that?"

Osk shook her head. "I'm unsure what happened," she said, backing up a little bit. "When I use the Sight...it's the witnesses that know what happened, not I. As for the magic - it was likely seidr, the magic of the Seers, but I don't know what was cast."

"You didn't mention this Seer magic," Thor said, looking over Loki.

"My prince, there is never enough time to cover everything." Osk's tone was apologetic.

Loki didn't feel any immediate effects, but he'd have to investigate later. He wasn't dead or unconscious, so initial ill intent could be ruled out. "Thor, I seem to be alright."

"We should go," Thor said brusquely, moving to the door.

Osk gave a forgiving smile, and Loki tried to politely smooth over Thor's rudeness. "Thank you for your time and your answers, Osk."

"Anything for Asgard," Osk said, ushering Loki towards his brother. "I do hope you'll find your way," she said, as Thor and Loki stepped out into the night. Loki turned back, unable to stop himself from giving another round of thanks, as he was embarrassed at leaving so unceremoniously. As he turned to walk away, before Osk closed the door, Loki could have sworn he heard her say, "May you find the light."

As Loki spun his illusion to mask their trek through the city, Thor said, in a dangerously quiet tone of voice, "We'll have words at the palace, Loki."

i Oh excellent,/i Loki thought, iSomething to look forward to./i

It was quite late, so there were few citizens on their path, allowing Loki time to contemplate the rush of information he'd received.

This prophecy, the vision, it all was meant to make them aware of being "Children of Time;" this included, it seemed, potentially…another person. It was not necessarily clear, however, that they needed to be blood relatives, but even the idea of it was unsettling. Thor and Loki had grown up together, knowing only one another, and the idea of a stranger sharing their destiny...even if they were 'despairing,' was fundamentally unsettling.

Even so, it seemed that Thor and Loki might have a vague benefit from the situation. Although Loki had quietly hoped that they all had the gifts of the Seers, insight into the past seemed like it could be a strong, useful skill if applied correctly. He had no idea if it needed magic, or it came through visions, or needed external input, like the Seer, but the idea was certainly interesting.

That brought Loki to the idea that Thor could potentially see the future. Since Loki had never seen visions of the past, he had no doubt that Thor had not yet seen the future. The idea was intriguing - that the heir to the throne might know the future that kings prior had asked for. Thor was not wise, but he was earnest and true of heart. Wisdom would, hopefully, come with time, knowledge, and further counsel.

They entered the palace more quickly than Loki expected, but Thor had been keeping a brisk pace. Loki took down the illusion when he felt it was safe, away from the eyes of the guards.

Thor stopped, folding his arms. "You should do that...marker check, brother."

Loki nodded, beginning to weave the spell. It was a simple protective magic, creating a dodecahedron that gave off a light that would reveal magical markings on the body. Often a spell cast with a duration effect would leave a mark, as well as curses and shapeshifting abilities. Once on Vanaheim, a mage had left a crude but nasty curse that had bound around Thor's arm. Without the spell, it would have hard to locate and take care of in a short amount of time. "Thank you for reminding me."

As he let the spell go, the orb hovered to head height, giving a blue light. Loki held out his arms, checking both sides, then turned around. "Anything, Thor?"

Thor shook his head, then realized Loki couldn't see him. "No, no, there's nothing."

"See, nothing to worry about," Loki said, dissipating the orb and turning to face his brother.

Thor didn't look reassured. "Loki, I think tonight went too far. All of this is spiralling deeper and deeper into...madness."

Loki raised an eyebrow. "Madness? Is it simply because you don't understand?"

Thor let out a sigh of exasperation. "I know my intellectual limits, but I'm not stupid."

"I didn't say you were stupid."

"I - no I just - I think we're delving into something that's going to take us away from our goals."

Loki crossed his arms. "And what goals would that be?"

Thor reached up to his neck, rubbing it as though it were sore. "The crown, our family. The stability of the monarchy."

"Oh, those goals. You mean your goals," Loki said, a bitter taste in his mouth.

"They should be your goals too, brother. That woman in there -"

"Osk, her name was Osk."

"She was talking about dangerous things, implying Mother was lying, that there's a third...sibling? And among other things, that we have access to these...strange magics."

"She wasn't implying Mother was lying," Loki corrected, "simply that she knew more than she stated."

Thor shook his head. "Something just isn't right about this, brother."

"Why are you fighting this? Thor," Loki said, smiling, grasping his brother's arm, "Thor, you could possibly see the future. The future! What a gift! You're always the optimist, look on the bright side!"

Thor looked away. "Did you not hear what that woman said? iAsgardians didn't accept men with this gift./i Why did you think they did that?"

Loki knew it, in the pit of his stomach, though he didn't want to say it. Instead he looked up at Thor.

"I thought so," Thor said, clenching his jaw. "It is unmanly," he said angrily, his lips curving as he enunciated the word, "it is a woman's magic."

"Things have changed, Thor," Loki said softly, trying to calm his brother. "That was a long time ago."

"Have they?" said Thor, beginning to pace. "Lady Sif is still only one woman fighting with the Crown, and she had to prove herself! That's just one example, one!"

Loki looked at Thor in disbelief. "Thor, you have nothing to prove. Of everyone I've observed, you are by far the most…" he searched for the right word, "masculine person I've encountered."

Thor snorted. "Well, it's not high praise coming from you."

Loki narrowed his eyes. "Well, I don't particularly care, Thor, you're the one who's apparently so concerned about his image."

"You don't understand, Loki. Finding out that this could be a part of me, it...changes everything."

"Does it? Do you not feel the same as you did before?"

"Feel, yes, but it's -" Thor tried to find the right way to put it. "I'm not the same person I thought I was."

Loki uncrossed his arms, stepping a little closer. "Thor, it seems like the universe - or destiny - is asking us to do something with these gifts. Whether you feel different or not, we have to move past that to what the universe needs."

Thor shook his head incredulously. "I don't know why I even bothered trying to explain myself, Loki. The simple way to put this is no. This is not destiny, it is possibly something worse. I won't entangle myself in this." He turned abruptly to walk away, but Loki caught his arm.

"You're just going to ignore everything, even the vision?" Loki asked, feeling hurt for some reason.

Thor gave a wry laugh and jerked his arm away. "I think I made already myself clear, Loki, you didn't listen." With that, he disappeared further into the palace, leaving Loki to contemplate having to deal with this alone.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Loki couldn't sleep after he returned to his chambers. He kept a cup of wine at hand as he paced the floor, thinking about everything that had happened. iSomething tells me you are the thinking type of person. Sometimes that's not a good thing./i Osk's words echoed in his head.

What else could he do? Not think? Loki tried to focus on something else as he paced - the taste of the wine, perhaps - but his mind, as ever, wandered. Nights like this often distorted the mind, bringing forward emotion and turning memories into trance-like visions. The wine certainly wasn't helping to clarify things, but it was helping him to relax.

Loki winced as he thought about his conversation with Thor. He'd certainly taken the wrong tactic, thinking that perhaps a push towards the larger picture would help put things in perspective for him. Thor seemed scared, and it didn't seem to just be about his image. Something else was wrong. Had something else happened when meeting Osk?

Loki made sure to take a sip of wine as he ambled back across his chambers. If the Seers had been in a position of power, where had they seen kings? It seemed that, if knowledge was passed matrilineally, perhaps they were summoned before the court, but that didn't seem to make sense. Much like the Chanter's halls, it seemed like there must have been a space for the Seer to do her work.

Loki had explored many locations in Asgard, mapping out the idiosyncrasies of Asgard's boundaries, finding the secret pathways to other realms. He had delved into ruins, caves, and forests, setting up exits and traps to get away quickly and quietly. While he was certain he hadn't mapped out the entirety of Asgard, getting into forgotten locations was a talent of his.

Loki wracked his memory, which was admittedly slower at this time of night, to think of a location that might align with what he knew of the Seers.

It was during this thought that Loki felt something, a sudden feeling coming from deep within. It coiled within him before blossoming in his chest, contracting it in sudden pain. It was sadness - no, something deeper than sadness - more complex. He gasped, clutching his chest, the room seeming to disappear as all he felt was pain. Loneliness. Agony. From his belly to his chest, the feeling wrenched his muscles, and he couldn't seem to breathe.

As suddenly as the feeling came, it lifted, and Loki slowly came back to his senses. He was on the floor, on his hands and knees, where he had apparently fallen. He got up slowly, shaking his head to try and clear it. His cheeks felt odd, and reaching up a hand, he checked to find they were wet with tears. He'd been crying?

What the Hel had just happened to him? And why did these visions involve him falling? Hopefully this wouldn't happen in public, as it would be incredibly embarrassing.

Where had that feeling come from? Loki didn't feel that way, at least, never that deeply. What if…

Oh, no.

What if it was Thor's emotion that he'd felt?

There wasn't time to think, as Osk had said. There was only time to act.

Loki knew plenty of ways into Thor's room, but by far the easiest and most discreet was via balcony. Quickly weaving a magical skin, Loki shapeshifted into a songbird. A small form made the tight turns required to weave around the trees surrounding their balconies far easier.

In no time, he soared over Thor's balcony, through the curtains onto a nearby table. It was then he realized he'd made a slight error in his haste. Songbirds couldn't see well in the dark. If a songbird could sigh, Loki would have.

Well, if he was going to check on Thor, he was going to be himself. Hopping onto the floor, the songbird gave itself a good shake, fluffing its feathers, then vanished, Loki's tall frame blinking into existence.

He crept towards Thor's bed, watching the rise and fall of the sheets. Thor seemed to be breathing evenly, and when Loki got closer, he noted that Thor seemed to be asleep. It was doubtful that if he'd had those emotions, he'd have drifted off so quickly.

Loki relaxed in relief before making his way back out to the balcony. He rubbed his eyes, then his forehead as he tried to calm himself down. Leaning against the cool stone of the railing, he exhaled slowly. iDespairing./i That's what he'd felt. Osk's rasping voice came to mind: iDespairing, lost./i The emotion he felt must have been related to the third child.

Why an emotion, and why was he, of all people, feeling it? Why no vision, no quest? If he could see the past, then why wouldn't he see them, instead of this...feeling? He wanted information!

The beginnings of dawn began to light up the sky-shroud, faintly starting to give light to the balcony. iWell, I'm already here,/i thought Loki as he thought of a little prank. Reaching out from the balcony, he plucked an acorn from a nearby oak. Swiftly and quietly, he stole up to Thor's bed, pulling aside a sheet, and dropping the acorn down his brother's trousers. He gave a little smile as he imagined his brother's face, then headed out to the balcony once more.

As Loki began to prepare a skin to return to his chambers, it finally dawned on him what ruin might have been related to the Seers.

He quickly reversed his spell, switching out the songbird for an osprey. In his new form, Loki took to the sky, gaining height over the city as it gleamed in the morning light.

Though this was the only way Loki could fly, he had fallen in love with it at a young age. At great height the sky-shroud would fall away to show the stars beyond, and Loki liked to think that he was flying among them. The stars felt safe to him, a place where he could go and be free, an ever-present group of friends that could never disappoint.

The spot he had sights on was a cluster of vegetation at the top of a cliff near the city. The cliff faced the Bifrost, beyond the city limits, behind the palace. The bluff on top was a pleasant place to overlook the city, but few desired to climb the steep hill behind in order to spend time there. Loki's suspicion had been correct that the vegetation hanging off the cliff concealed a ruin.

Loki sped towards the cliff, plunging into the leaves and landing, a little harder than he'd judged, on a leaf-covered terrace. Shifting back into himself, he stretched a little bit. Shapeshifting sometimes made him feel a little cramped.

He began to walk around, taking in the details of the ruin, since it had been a number of years since he'd been there. He recalled being quite disappointed because the ruins consisted of a terrace, a stone chair, and the vegetation-covered cliff face behind it. Aside from the destroyed stairs leading to the terrace on both sides, there was little else to see. Fortunately, since then, Loki had learned a few tricks about Asgardian ruins.

His primary interest was in the chair, a deceptively primitive but precisely carved large stone seat. It was not decorated enough to be a throne, but certainly, as he'd surmised before, could be used as a seat of power for a lord or, in this case, a Seer. He stepped up onto the seat in order to feel the surface of the stone on the cliff face behind it, as it was hidden behind crawling vines of ivy. No carvings, nothing but natural stone.

Hopping off the seat, Loki wove a spell he'd learned that had helped him immensely when exploring ruins. When he finished, the magic hovered on the palm of his left hand, giving off a gentle light. Crouching down on the terrace, he used the light to begin sweeping across the surface, stopping when he saw the first gleam of a hidden magical conduit.

He followed it to the cliff face, then doubled back to check on its origin, which was, unsurprisingly, the chair. Another conduit led from the chair to a matching location near the cliff face on the other side. Asgardians weren't the only civilization to use conduits to direct magical energy, but it was theirs with which Loki was most familiar. The chair seemed to be the method of activating whatever entrance there might be. The question was, what type of magic was supposed to be used?

With a sigh, Loki turned around and sat in the seat, grasping the arms and subconsciously crossing his legs. As he expected, nothing happened.

If this was a spot for the Seers, he was at a disadvantage; he neither knew seidr nor was he a Seer. However, he suspected that, as a "Child of Time," he might be able to gain access.

Was this a good time to try seeking a vision? Loki was unsure if it would activate anything, but it was at least an invocation of his...position, if that was the case. Everything felt so new with regard to this prophecy; he was not used to being this uncertain about magic.

Closing his eyes, he looked inward. Mother had attempted to teach him how to quiet his mind at a young age, but it had been very difficult. As he tried to remember what she'd taught him, ibreathe in, breathe out, focus only on your breath/i, whenever he began to quiet his mind and sit with himself, he began to feel uncomfortable. Swiftly shutting that out, Loki tried to focus instead on the past by recalling a memory.

He had never been sure why it felt like there were more bad memories than good. He could certainly find decent ones if he tried, but the first ones that sprung up were full of emotions he didn't want to feel. Stumbling and falling next to his father. Lying in pain under a chokehold as his brother laughed. Being unable to articulate his frustration to his mother.

Crying alone in his chambers.

Frustrated, Loki slammed his palm against the stone. Come on, something on which to focus! These memories were too painful to spend time with. As a breeze picked up and rustled the leaves, he finally recalled something fondly.

They'd been on Vanaheim - Thor, the Warriors Three, and he. For pleasure, they'd ridden towards a stunningly high cliff face and Volstagg challenged all to see how high they could climb without magic, as he'd looked pointedly at the two princes. Thor and Loki outpaced the others quickly, but Loki began to lose his nerve the higher he climbed. He wasn't afraid of heights, but he was concerned that at such a height he might not be able to cast a skin to shapeshift quickly enough to break a fall.

Despite being highly competitive, Thor had slowed down to give Loki support, even giving him a hand up in a couple spots. "Don't worry," Thor had assured him, "I'll catch you if you fall. We'll both get to the top, you and I."

When they both had made it to the top, they'd sat, legs dangling off, watching the valley below in contemplative victory. Even though Loki had technically lost, it didn't matter. They'd both conquered the mountain. The thought made Loki smile, and it was then he heard the deep iclunk/i of internal mechanisms and the sound of stone scraping against stone.

Loki jumped as vines started falling on top of him, and he scrambled out of the way. Vines collapsed onto the chair and its surroundings as tall, thin openings, likely to let in light, opened in the cliff face above the chair. Swiftly, he created an illusion to cover what had been revealed, hoping that no one had seen the movement. It took him a few moments, but he was able to bind the illusion to a sigil that he marked in front of the chair, an easy place to remember.

Two doors had opened, and Loki carefully checked them for traps before entering. He didn't think there would be any, if it was indeed a location that had been open to the public, but he'd burned himself enough times not to be too careful. Inside, the light illuminated a foyer with stairs leading up to what he presumed was the primary chamber. Ornate carvings on the interior walls filtered the light further inward.

As he entered the primary chamber, Loki was struck by how large it was. Buildings in Asgard were built to impress, but older ruins tended to be scaled down in size. In the faint light, it was clear the walls were carved in relief. In the center of the room, there was a slightly raised platform, and this is what drew Loki's attention. Stepping up onto the platform, he found carved into it a large triquetra with a circle round the middle. That was all. Disappointed, he stepped away, surveying the chamber.

A cool breeze blew past him and it was then that he felt the shift. It was no emotion, no sudden vision, no vertigo, no tilting. Instead, Loki felt like he was hearing music - the emotion, the delight in the mind - but there was nothing to hear. The feeling spread across his mind, which seemed to dissolve into a thousand points of light, his mind moving far too fast. It felt like every sense was flooded for a single moment, understanding every note in a smell, comprehending every wrinkle in each carving. Everything seemed to slow, and Loki realized that this was it.

He had connected to Time.

It only took a moment, a blink, and Loki saw the same room completely differently. Braziers lit the sides as Asgardians filled the cavern, most sitting on the floor, bringing their own blankets. Some were picking their way through the crowd, searching for a spot to sit next to someone they knew. They were quiet, eyes trained on the platform, where a group of women sat in a circle around the triquetra. In the middle was the Seer, a dark-skinned woman dressed in light blue with silver details.

Afraid to move, Loki looked around to see if people had noticed him. It seemed not. He was standing between an older man and a young girl. Reaching down slowly, he tried to touch the old man on the shoulder, but his hand passed through as it would through one of his illusions. In many ways, it was a relief. The idea of actually travelling through time caused Loki a measure of anxiety.

The women surrounding the Seer began to hum, creating a polyphonic sound that continued onward into a song, various melodic notes descending to create a chilling effect down the spine. Some in the audience swayed, others closed their eyes, and the Seer closed her eyes, her spine stiffening as she tilted her head, listening.

Then the Seer raised her arms and the room fell suddenly silent. Opening her eyes, the Seer shouted, her voice echoing in the great hall, "Vara!" A great wind rushed through the hall, smelling of green and growing things, whistling through the holes in the walls and roaring outside. The Asgardians around echoed, "Vara!" and began cheering. The Seer broke into a smile, and the strict formation on the platform dissolved as people began to stand and talk.

That was interesting. Asgard's seasons were changed by magic, and he'd always known that the Chanter was in charge of those changes. It must've been a domain where the Seers had purview, since the she had called out for the season to change to Spring.

Loki looked up as the Seer worked her way through the crowd. For a moment, she made eye contact with him, and he glanced behind him to see what she could be looking at. The Seer laughed, then nodded at him.

He blinked, and they were gone. The room was once more silent and darkened, the life and laughter he had seen far away in the distant past. For a moment, he felt saddened that those times were gone. However, incredulous joy at what happened swiftly overtook it.

It was true. The prophecy was true. More than anything else that had happened, this confirmed it. He'd had a vision of the past - clear and articulate! There was no guessing from old literature, imagining life in the ruins, no, he had seen it! He had to tell Thor. No - he probably wouldn't believe him.

An idea came to him, slowly, as he put together a plan. Loki smiled as he realized today was supposed to be the first day of winter. First Frost had already been given, but itoday/i was the day that the Chanter would call forward winter...in the evening. The Chanter notoriously was a late riser and disliked morning rituals.

Thor might believe Loki if he called forth winter, himself, in the morning ahead of when the Chanter would normally do so. Even if Thor didn't believe him, Loki would give anything to see the Chanter's face when he found out he'd been beaten to the punch.

Of course, this was special, old magic, and it should be respected.

But he also wasn't the God of Mischief for nothing.

Could he do it, though? He'd already accessed a special magic today, and he wasn't certain whether the seasons used seidr, time, or another type of magic. If the Chanter could do it, was it a magic tied to Asgard?

Shaking his head to clear it, Loki walked to the center of the platform, facing outward towards the windows as he'd seen the Seer do. Flexing his hands in a nervous tic his mother would recognize, he tried to recall what he'd seen. Reaching to the familiar source of his magics, he turned from looking inwards to looking to the heart of Asgard. More than anyone he had delved into Asgard's roots, looking for the edges of the realm, but also finding out its secrets. As he thought about its mountains and caves, it seemed as though something sparked. Not time, not magic, not even the universe. Something entirely different. Something he never really acknowledged.

A feeling that was felt by Loki ever so rarely, only in the most close moments with his family.

Love.

It was then, like an opening door, that the cold barrelled forth in his mind, then his throat. Raising his arms and opening his eyes, the cold trembled from his lips as he shouted in Old Asgardian, "Vetr!" The cold wind, laden with snowflakes, howled past him through the hall, out the doors and past the trees outside.

Loki stood there, gasping for breath with joy at what he'd found, then noticed that the triquetra around him was glowing light orange. Was this seidr? Had he used it? When the Seer used her magic, he hadn't seen the symbol glowing but, as he recalled carefully, he hadn't seen the symbol from his vantage point, as it was obscured by the circle of women.

As he breathed, he felt like his chest was opening up. Perhaps it was that feeling - he hated to call it love - or the excitement of the day, but it felt like he was becoming more, like his soul was growing larger, bleeding outside of his body. A jolt of fear ran through him as he realized that some sort of magic was still taking place, but that strange feeling would not let up.

Looking down at his hands, he saw the winding magic placed on him by Osk lighting up. He tried to move, but couldn't, as the feeling grew and it didn't just feel like his soul was growing, it was like it was dissolving at the edges. Like he was going to lose himself.

Panicked, he gulped for air. But…

iOh, my god. These aren't my lungs. Focus…/i

Lady Sif was standing before him, a spear pointed at him. She looked confused. "Um, Thor?"

iWhat? No, nonononono…/i

Loki blinked, looked down, then at his...Thor's...his hands. They were in the sparring arena, snowflakes falling and melting on his...muscles. In his hand - his big, meaty hand - was Mjolnir, raised defensively.

"Do you not wish to fight?" Sif looked confused.

Loki may have, at times, wished that he was Thor, but this wasn't how he'd thought it would happen. He opened his - Thor's mouth to answer, but before he could say anything, he -

He snapped back into Loki's body, trembling. Eyes wide, he tried to move, but was still disabled as the orange magic remained bright. That feeling, that fear of being lost, rose again and, heart racing, he tried to fight it off. iNo, I don't want to lose myself! What is happening?/i But his soul seemed to drift away again, sliding like sand through fingers.

iAm I Thor again?/i

He felt no snowflakes this time. Opening his eyes, Loki was faced with a wall. Wooden? No, no wood looked that fake. Poorly painted, most likely.

Looking down, he realized very quickly that this was not anyone he knew. This time, he was a woman, and she was definitely not from Asgard. Something seemed stuck to his - her - face and, with trembling fingers, she reached up to pull at it. To her surprise, it came off, but her vision became blurry, so she quickly put it back on.

What the Hel was wrong with this person's eyes? And why did she feel so weak?

Before she could discern anything further, Loki felt yanked back to Asgard, landing back in his own body.

The magic vanished from his arms, and the triquetra lost its light. Feeling drained, Loki slumped to the floor. Too much magic, too quickly in succession. He didn't know what enchantment lay on him from Osk, but it had gotten out of hand.

He needed to leave before anything else happened.

Striding out of the ruins, he checked to ensure that his illusion was maintained. Weaving a skin took a bit more effort since he was weaker, but he was able to complete the spell and launch out towards the palace. He changed course midway as he realized that he should go and ask Osk for further information, particularly to see if he could get this enchantment removed. Having an unknown magical element could be risky if he were to be needed in battle.

Loki landed in a garden to switch forms, climbing over the wall, slipping a little on the snow, and scurrying down an alleyway before arriving at Osk's house.

To his surprise, there were Asgardians moving items out of her dwelling into a cart. Frowning, he approached a young dark-haired woman who seemed to be in charge. Her dark eyes widened as he came closer. "Prince Loki?"

"Where is Osk?" he asked directly.

"She - I didn't know you knew her," she said gently. "You probably didn't hear, she passed away last night."

Loki frowned. "She seemed well...when last I saw her."

The woman nodded. "She did, but these things...happen…" Her voice faltered, but she shook her head and stood tall.

Loki looked down, surprised at how much the woman's emotion moved him. "Are you her granddaughter…?" He had forgotten her name.

"Yes, I'm Osk's granddaughter. My name's Maer. How did you know her? She never mentioned you." Loki looked up sharply at such a prying question, and she flinched. "If it's not too much to ask."

Loki tried to think of a generic explanation. "She gave me some good advice."

"Oh," said Maer, with a sad smile. "People were always seeking her out for that, but over the years, they just stopped coming."

Loki looked at the door, still trying to absorb what had happened. "When will the funeral take place?" he asked distantly.

"Tomorrow evening," Maer said softly. She started to say something, but stopped herself.

"Thank you, Maer," Loki said, and turned to go. Something stopped him, however. Osk had helped them significantly, and was, perhaps, the last Seer. Above all, she had been kind and open-hearted.

Turning around, Loki looked Maer in the eyes. "I would be honored if you would allow me to perform the funeral rites."

Maer covered her mouth, her eyes filling up with tears. "Your highness, I don't know what to say, except thank you. It will be a tribute to her memory."


	5. Chapter 5

"Thor!"

Loki found Thor in the Throne Room, walking in the general direction of the palace chambers, likely for the midday meal. The room was empty with the exception of a few servants cleaning.

"Thor!" Loki called out again, but his brother didn't stop or turn around. Rolling his eyes, Loki broke into a run to catch up to his brother's strides. Out of breath, Loki broke into a wide smile. "Brother, the most amazing things have happened…"

Thor didn't even break stride, giving Loki a withering glare.

"Fine, I know you don't want to talk about it," Loki said quickly, "but I believe that I've found some evidence of…" He did a double take, scrutinizing his brother's face as best he could. "Are you...crying?"

He was so taken aback that he didn't have time to react before Thor had him up against a pillar, arm pressed hard across his chest. "Oh, alright, um, maybe it was sweat?" Loki quipped. With a better look now, his brother did indeed have a few tears.

"What part of being done with this was unclear?" Thor said, gritting his teeth.

"I thought perhaps a little more proof would convince you…"

"Convince me of what?"

Annoyed, Loki put up a finger. "Stop interrupting. Convince you of the truth of the prophecy…" Before he could finish, Thor used a hand to wipe half his face quickly and laughed almost in disbelief.

"No, Loki, no. Just - no. I can't."

Loki searched Thor's face, trying to discern what he was missing. "Thor, I changed the season - I did it this morning, before the Chanter."

"Enough, Loki."

"And did you notice something when you were sparring this morning? Something strange?"

"SHUT UP!" Thor bellowed, slamming Loki back against the column. Loki's head hit solidly, a sharp pain blossoming forth. He didn't cry out though.

Thor bowed his head, looking almost tired. "I'm sorry, Loki, this is going - this is the type of path that can lead to ruin."

Loki swallowed his anger, trying instead to figure out why Thor was acting so strangely. "You aren't telling me something, Thor. What's going on?"

Thor stared at him, breathing heavily, but was silent.

"Brother, you _do_ realize you aren't saying anything out loud."

"Please don't make this more difficult," Thor finally said. "I can't stop your bad decisions, but I will say -" with this he drew himself upwards, leaning in, "Leave. Me. Out."

Loki shook his head with a false smile. "You don't scare me, Thor."

Thor let out his breath in frustration, standing back and letting go of Loki, who reached up to the back of his head to check for blood. Fortunately there wasn't any.

"I may not scare you," Thor said, "but I don't have to. If I find out you've been using this strange magic, or you rope me in, I'll tell Father. Mention the prophecy to me? I'll tell him as well."

Loki's pretense of a smile vanished. "You're bluffing. You said this was to be between us."

"I felt I had a reputation to uphold, but then I realized," Thor smiled ominously, "that I don't have to tell the truth. I don't have to have had anything to do with this."

Loki's stomach curdled. "Bullshit. You tell him, I'll tell him everything you've done with me."

Thor gave a little laugh, shaking his head. "Who do you think he'll believe?" He walked a little closer. Though he was acting in the superior, there was something in his eyes, behind that smile. There was pain. But Loki couldn't focus on that; all he was thinking about was that Thor could tell Odin almost anything that had happened over the past month, and it would certainly get him in trouble.

And that was a very bad situation to be in.

With a smug smile, Thor stood back. "Lie too many times, Loki, and you inevitably hurt yourself." With that, he turned a corner and disappeared.

Loki's frustration boiled over into an angry yell before he tried to bring his emotions back in, but it wasn't working. He was weak, he was tired, and he couldn't help seething with rage. How _dare_ Thor try and stop him? He wasn't lying, this was about finding the truth! If anything, Thor was lying to himself about what was going on. He was going to regret this. Loki would find something to get back at him, and it needed to be good.

First, though, he needed some rest.

Loki didn't really mean to drift off, since it was the middle of the day, but when he finally relaxed, he almost immediately fell asleep.

Given the extraordinary succession of events in the previous 24 hours, Loki shouldn't have been surprised to open his eyes and find himself staring at that strangely painted wooden wall, but he still gave a start.

Once his mind caught up to what was going on, he looked down, checking to see if he was inhabiting a different body.

No, it was just him, in his comfortable shirt and trousers. Good.

Then that feeling came again, that howling despair. He sucked in his breath and leaned against the wall, closing his eyes and trying to endure it. As the feeling gradually let up, he exhaled, and was surprised to hear another exhalation simultaneously from elsewhere in the room.

Turning to finally see the room itself, he saw a young woman, head down, knees hugged to her chest, in the corner of the room. Was this the woman he had inhabited?

A wave of sadness washed over him, and the woman let out a little sob. Well, he surmised, she was definitely the source of all these emotions.

He took a step toward her, but stopped when she suddenly looked up. Her red, tearful eyes widened, then she gave a wry chuckle. "Of course," she said, then dropped her head back to rest on top of her knees.

Loki frowned, finally gathering himself to speak. "I beg your pardon?"

She looked up sharply. "Oh great, Sophia, it's speaking too." She gave another dry laugh. "Hallucinations as well, you're definitely going to be in the hospital for a while this time." She closed her eyes tightly.

Another wave of despair, and Loki couldn't stand it. "Your emotions," he said desperately, "they're too much. I don't know what this is, but stop!"

She didn't open her eyes, but instead began rocking back and forth slowly. She was trying to take deep breaths, but they were interrupted by the occasional sob. Shaking her head back and forth, she whispered, "It's just voices, it's not real, it's not real…"

Crouching down to get to the woman's level, Loki frowned. He wasn't sure what magic had brought him here, if he had travelled physically or was a projection of himself from Asgard. He reached down to touch the hideous carpet - a violent shade of orange - and was surprised to feel its texture, rough and synthetic with long fibers. Was he actually present?

If so, where in the Realms was he?

If he had been this woman before, though, Loki realized that she might be the third Child. He hesitated, then reached out to touch the woman on the knee. A jolt of fear ran through him as she screamed, jumping up, trying to move away from him, hitting the wall, then moving sideways to get away from him. Breathing fast, she yelled, "What the _fuck_!"

Loki stood and she flinched, crossing her arms protectively, her eyes darting back and forth. "I didn't think hallucinations would be this real," she said, her voice shaking. She reached out for a device, then hesitated. "I don't want to go back to the hospital, I don't…" She turned and began to pace back and forth quickly.

Trying to quell the rising feelings of panic he was getting from this woman, Loki realized he needed to take control of the situation, rather than letting it unfold. He walked closer to her, stopping short as he realized he should probably keep his distance. "I assure you, I am real -"

"That's what anything unreal would say," the woman said sharply before shrinking back against the wall.

Loki pursed his lips. "I was going to _continue_ to say that I must be real because I have...a life of my own. There's no possibility that your mind could conceive me."

Her gaze hardened. "I assure you," she said, "my mind can conceive a great many things."

"Fine," he said with a sigh, _roll with the punches_, "let's assume I am a hallucination. It seems your mind might have come up with something worse than me."

This seemed to give her pause. He continued, "Perhaps you needed someone and your mind conjured me."

She stared at him with a frown, assessing him. "Are you going to hurt me?"

"Of course not."

She looked down. "It's never a given. But I suppose I'm more of a danger to myself than anyone else could be, so why should I be afraid?" Even as she said this, though, he felt the slightest tremor of fear.

"Why are you feeling this way?" he asked bluntly.

She seemed to be working hard not to cry again. "I don't really want to talk about it."

Loki tapped his fingers against his leg in frustration. Why was she being so unhelpful? "Then what can I do to help you feel better?" he asked.

She looked up, confused. "How…" She stopped and stared him in the eyes. "Are you...frustrated?"

Loki blinked in surprise. "You can feel my emotions as well?"

"Am I hallucinating that as well? I'm not deciding your dialogue," she said, as though trying to figure out a problem. She took her weight off the wall, taking a step forward in interest.

It made sense that, whatever type of communication it was, that it was reciprocal. Loki smiled, realizing that this had stimulated her interest to engage. "Curious?" he asked, teasing.

She focused, scrutinizing him. "Oh…." she stopped, and pointed a finger at him. "Oh - oh my god, it's you."

Loki cocked his head. "I beg your - "

"The golden circle, the knot. I was pacing and - I thought I was hallucinating." She looked him up and down. "But it was you, your body, those hands. I couldn't move, but - " her voice trailed off as she stared into space. "I lost time, I came back in the same position, but it felt like I was...you." She met his eyes. "Maybe this is really in my head."

"You did inhabit my body then," Loki said aloud without meaning to. "I was in yours, briefly, as well."

Her eyes widened. "Multiple personalities then?" she said, rubbing her arms. "Schizophrenia?"

"What?" Loki said, confused. "It was an old form of magic, I think."

She gave a wry laugh, and nodded at him with a fake smile. "Now I _know_ you aren't real."

"What, because I don't know what kind of magic it was?"

She seemed on the verge of laughter. "No, because magic isn't real, it's the stuff of stories."

Well, this was ridiculous. "I'm confused - that's like saying there's no such thing as - " he struggled to find a relatable metaphor without knowing where he was, "saying these mortifying walls aren't real."

"Who are you?" she asked, "Or - who do I think you are?" She reached up to massage her temples. "I am so confused. This was not how I thought today would go."

He drew himself upwards, glad this finally came up. "I am Loki, Prince of Asgard," he said, a smile creeping across his face.

It was at this point that she broke into laughter, then began to pace once more. "Naturally. Yep, you've got a great brain, Sophia. A great brain."

"I fail to see what's so amusing," said Loki, annoyed.

She stopped suddenly, searching his eyes with a serious look on her face. "There it is again, a feeling," she said. "Annoyance? What, because I don't believe you? I believe you, it's just surprise that my mind would come up with an ideal…" she paused, searching, "...method of comfort." To Loki's surprise, she continued. "I grew up reading about myths and legends; my mom wouldn't let me read fantasy until I was older. She was concerned about me not knowing the difference between reality and fiction. Joke's on her, though, people actually believed in myths, so. Wasn't really a smart decision on her part."

As she mentioned her mother, Loki frowned as he tried to reconcile this with the idea she might...possibly...be his sister. "Were you born to your mother...parents...or were you adopted?"

"I'm related to my parents." She looked at him strangely. "Why do you care?"

Loki decided then not to tell her his suspicions. He didn't know if he would see her again, but he wasn't going to introduce such an idea when she had only just been emotionally unstable. Given she still thought he was a delusion, she probably wouldn't believe him anyway.

"I have my reasons," he said finally. "Is your name Sophia? That's what you've been saying when you're talking to yourself."

She nodded and crossed her arms. "Loki, then. No wonder you believe in magic, if you're the god of it."

Loki smiled at her acknowledgement. "Among other things. Most call me the god of mischief, and I've already succeeded in my little trick."

"And what's that?"

"Getting your mind off things."

Mixed emotions flitted across her face, but finally settled on amused scrutiny. "That's a pretty good trick, I must say. You're more demure than I thought from the stories."

Loki began to relax; this Sophia seemed to be opening up. She was light of skin - though not as pale as Loki - with hazel eyes and light brown hair, which hung, stick-straight, to her shoulders. "In all fairness," he said, "this isn't a good assessment of my demeanor. You were in quite a state."

She leaned forward from the wall, coming closer and looking up at him. "So, Loki, why did you come here all the way down the rainbow bridge? Just to play a nice trick on a sad girl?"

Loki shifted, uncomfortable at the thought of discussing something magical with someone who didn't "believe" in it. He tried to use more broad terms. "I think there's some connection between us. Feeling one another's emotions - it's not normal. I'm familiar with a wide variety of...phenomena and I assure you, I haven't heard of this type of communication."

"You really think you aren't in my head, don't you."

"I'd say you were an illusion myself if I didn't know better," Loki said with a smile, which disappeared when he started to feel something different. It felt like a pulling, a tingling radiating from his heart to his limbs. "Oh…" he said, looking down. No difference in appearance that he could tell. "I had hoped for more time. I think - I think I'm waking up."

Sophia frowned, coming forward and, hesitantly, put a hand on his arm. "Well, um - thank you, I guess. If you are a hallucination, at least...you were a good one." With that, she backed up.

Another feeling of pulling, stronger, and Loki closed his eyes, feeling slightly dizzy. Feeling seemed to leach out, then pour back into his limbs as the first thing he noticed was the soft brush of his linens. Opening his eyes, he saw the afternoon sunlight pouring into his room.

Disoriented by waking up at such an odd time, he continued to lie there momentarily, rubbing his fingers together as he remembered feeling that carpet. If he was still in his bed, then he mustn't have teleported, instead it must have been in the mind, as had all other interactions with this type of magic.

If that woman - Sophia - was born to a different mother, how could she be the third Child?

Osk's enchantment seemed to be seidr, but he didn't understand its purpose. Was it fostering this connection? Why, then, had he been Thor, in addition to inhabiting the body of Sophia?

If this connection was about the mind, then emotion would seem less important than communication through thoughts. Unless...it was a connection of the heart, effectively...the soul.

Loki sat upright. That was it. When he'd opened the halls of the Seers, when he'd called forth Winter, what he'd felt was, well. It was - love, he supposed. Was that the core of seidr? Emotion and love? Transparency and - perhaps - vulnerability?

He winced. If that was the case, he wasn't sure he liked it. He was a very private person, and he didn't feel comfortable revealing truths about himself. Would such a seidr-based connection reveal a lie?

Loki shook his head. He couldn't focus on this; he had to officiate a funeral.

Dressing himself in formal attire, Loki made sure to put on his ceremonial helmet. As he headed in the direction of the Chanter's halls, Loki felt unusually conspicuous. He considered casting an illusion to reduce the number of looks he was getting, but the distance was short enough it wasn't going to be worth the effort.

Turning a corner, he nearly collided with Thor, who looked him up and down. "Where are you off to dressed like that?"

"Well, Thor," Loki said snarkily, "You don't want to hear about it, remember."

Thor frowned. "What could you be doing...formally...that has to do with...that?"

Loki considered hiding the truth. Thor would probably be upset if he found out about Osk's death later, even if he had left her house in a huff. He was at times unexpectedly attached to people that way. It'd be an effective way to get back at Thor. That being said, Osk's funeral was really not appropriate to use against his brother.

Loki hesitated. "Will you tell Father?"

"No," Thor said, rubbing his forehead. "I asked this time."

"Osk died last night. I'm on my way to her funeral."

Thor's eyes widened. "Why didn't you tell me?!"

"I only just found out this morning, and you wanted to shut me up…" Loki said defensively.

"I - " Thor seemed speechless, trying to process the news.

"Are you going to come?" Loki asked bluntly.

"I don't know - both of us showing up might lend too much significance." Thor squeezed his eyes shut as he rubbed his neck, a sign of stress.

"Significance to the death of a Seer? Yes, that's what you need to be concerned about right now," Loki said sarcastically. "Appearances."

Thor gave a pained smile. "Loki - we just don't want to give contrasting signals between Father and - "

"Well, you may not want to, but you'll need to excuse me, I can't be late," Loki said sharply, brushing past Thor.

Loki's anger at Thor swiftly hardened into determination as he made his way into the hall, recalling the looks that he had received from the Chanter. It was, in fact, more than appropriate that someone like Loki should handle the ceremony rather than the Chanter. He'd probably call her a witch right in the middle.

He was met by the Chanter in the main hall, who was holding a book of traditional chants. "Prince Loki," he said stiffly, "I was informed by Maer that you were officiating the funeral. I...was not informed."

"Indeed," said Loki, offering no apology.

The Chanter blinked, surprised. "As you have no experience, I can do it instead…"

"I will do it," said Loki confidently, holding out his hand for the book.

The Chanter hesitated, then handed over the book. "I can be there to assist, if…"

"No need," Loki said quickly, flipping through the book to find the right passage.

However, the Chanter didn't move. "I do hope, Prince Loki, that you are not getting entangled in affairs beyond your ken."

Loki looked up from the tome, anger coursing through him. "My affairs are none of your concern, Chanter, and," he said, drawing himself up to his full height, "it would do you well to remember your station."

The Chanter's jaw moved as he seemed to swallow his reaction. "Of course, _Prince_ Loki."

Loki strode to the side hall where the funeral would be, and stopped in his tracks. As he expected, Osk's body was in state under a shroud in the center of the room, but Maer was the only one there. She was dressed finely, and was already wiping some tears from her eyes.

Quietly, he approached her, and she looked up suddenly. "Oh, Prince Loki, thank you so much for this."

Loki tried to find the right words to say. "It's - it's the least I could do." He looked around, thinking perhaps he had missed seeing someone.

"I think it'll just be me," Maer said with a sad smile.

"Oh," said Loki, once more lost for words. He nodded, uncertain of what to do, then made his way to the platform and podium, placing the well-worn book there in preparation. Looking up, he made eye contact with Maer, who gave him an encouraging nod.

Flexing his hands nervously, he began reading. "_To the halls of our forefathers we commend…"_

He had not finished the first stanza when a figure came in. Thinking it was the Chanter, Loki halted and looked over.

It was Thor. He was dressed formally, his red cape drifting behind him as he came to stand beside Maer. She looked over, eyes widening as she realized who it was, but brought her attention back to Loki.

Loki continued, trying to bring back the rhythm of the words. They felt wrong, somehow. All the references to their forefathers, lineage, and the hopes of warriors felt completely misplaced. It was tradition, but -

The tradition was wrong.

_Remember the old ways, Children of Time._ He'd learned about the old ways, about bygone rituals and Seers long past. Seidr and the Sight might have been associated with women, but that was no reason for it to be lost with Osk's passing. Instead of placing her death in the long lineage of their forefathers, what was needed was to remember and to pass those memories onward.

Loki stopped reading, his fingers hovering over the pages as he fought with himself over what he was doing. He didn't meet the eyes of his brother or Maer for fear he might lose his nerve.

"Though it is a break in decorum," he said slowly, "it feels as though the chants do not give justice to Osk's legacy. There is comfort in the familiar, but, I suspect, Osk did not like people to be too comfortable."

Maer gave a little laugh, which emboldened him. Loki closed the book and stepped down from the platform, standing across from Thor and Maer and finally meeting their eyes. He'd been concerned that Thor would object, given that he had officiated funerals before, however, Thor's face showed encouragement, and Maer gave Loki a small smile.

This was the right thing to do.

Loki shared the details he'd noticed of Osk's kindness and insight, about the kind of woman he thought she was. Though he didn't get into details, he offered that Osk's legacy for him would be the connections she'd helped him make. When he said this, Thor looked at him curiously.

He offered time to the others to share what they wished, and Maer tearfully recounted her days spent holding yarn while her grandmother wrapped it, telling her wild tales of years past. Thor mentioned Osk's motherly nature and wisdom.

Loki was unsure how to end the improvised ceremony, until the words came to him, "We shall hold her memories in our hearts until the end of our days."

Maer and Thor came around, and, unexpectedly, Maer stood on her toes and hugged him. Loki stiffened. It was unconventional for royalty to be touched. However, Maer was grieving. Hesitantly, he patted her on the back, and she let go. "Thank you once more, your majesty. It was...an excellent ceremony."

Loki gave a small smile. "You are welcome."

When he and Thor left the hall, they did not speak until entering the palace proper. Loki was the first to say anything. "Thank you," he said quietly, "for coming."

Thor stopped. "I'm proud of you," he said slowly, "for volunteering to officiate. It must not have been easy."

Loki looked down and said nothing.

"It was...right. What you did." Thor seemed to be trying to place the right words. "I don't know why it seems that way - I don't understand it. But, like the law," - at this, Loki looked up - "the chants seem not to apply in all cases." Thor pursed his lips. "It was what was needed."

Searching his brother's eyes, Loki felt a warmth inside. Thor was rarely so somber, or so open. It made him think that, despite the earlier events of the day, perhaps things might work out.

Thor opened his arms and drew him close into a half-hug. Loki stiffened again, his instincts fearing a surprise, then relaxed when he realized its intent. "You did well, brother," Thor said.

As he was in his brother's embrace, Loki thought, _perhaps connections were indeed Osk's lasting legacy._


	6. Chapter 6

It wasn't until he was eating breakfast adjacent to his chambers, as he usually did, that Loki realized that nothing strange had happened for over twelve hours. No strange feelings, no dreams, visions, or visitations. Given the course of the past couple days, this seemed a little unusual, but was honestly a relief.

Loki had a few things he wanted to explore himself, primarily the nature of the enchantment Osk had laid upon him. With her death, it was possible the enchantment was broken. Despite the warnings he'd always been told about the unknown costs of magic, he almost hoped it wasn't. He had been concerned about the vulnerability it created by exposing him to emotion, but now he almost...missed it. Why did he feel that way?

The connection of the ruins he had visited to this magic - Loki elected to call it seidr - seemed strong, but he wondered if he'd be able to call upon it elsewhere. If the enchantment was still there, perhaps he could connect once more to Sophia. If she was in fact their sibling, he needed to find out more information.

Getting up, he put on a jacket and moved to a nearby cushioned bench in his sitting area. When he was sleeping, he hadn't felt the magic preceding his visitation, so he was unsure of where to start. If he used the same method as in the ruins, he worried he would not visit but instead inhabit her body. Which would likely ruin whatever communication they had.

He closed his eyes, trying to remember the place Sophia occupied. Orange carpet. Wood walls. A strangely embroidered couch, tattered and worn. Sophia, with eyes of green and brown, her brown hair and petite body as she pressed against the wall with fear and curiosity.

That didn't help, so he turned to what he'd felt from her, the despair, loneliness, sadness, and pain. He tried not to get wrapped up in the emotion, but as he brought them up, it was hard not to let it wrap around him and bring forth memories.

Before he could stop himself, he recalled crying in this same room as a young boy, leaning up against his bed, the mattress rail pushing against his back. He couldn't remember the slight - there had been so many - but as he had tried to push down that sadness, he had stared at the scratches on his floor tiles, inscribing his pain into each of them. He couldn't tell anyone how he felt, so he mentally wrote those feelings into those scratches.

Before he realized it, however, the memory shifted, and instead of his gold-inlaid bed, the rail was mahogany, and instead of tile, there was beige carpet. Inscribed with pain, in each and every flaw, was a scalloped wallpaper. Reaching out with a child's fingers, he pressed them against the wall, feeling a thousand whispers and emotions there. All untold.

Then he began to feel it, a broadening of the self, reaching across the distance of the universe. If he were doing it himself, he might have felt afraid there would be no reply. But he knew otherwise. As though answered, he felt a glowing warmth towards which he reached with an eagerness he hadn't expected from himself.

A brief spell of happiness passed from his head to his toes, and then he was there.

"It's you!" It was her voice. Both joy and fear - Sophia's, he realized - coursed through him before he could even adjust. This was a different room. Same walls and carpet, but the space was dominated by a bed. She had just stood up from a faded blue chair, which was still rocking. "I can't believe it!" She was smiling, but seemed confused.

Loki blinked, looking carefully at Sophia. "Why can't you believe it?" he asked reflexively, then chided himself. Asking questions back at people was a defensive mechanism of his to stall for time. He quickly glanced around the room, almost taking for granted its tidiness.

Her smile faded. "I just...I thought if you were a hallucination I'd only see you when I'm in the greatest amount of distress. But I suppose if I'm hallucinating now…"

Loki shook his head and snapped his fingers to bring her attention back to him. "I can assure you, once again, that I'm not a figment of your mind. Please, let's not go through the entire argument."

She hesitated, then skirted around him to close her door softly. "My parents are home," she said softly. "They shouldn't hear us, but if I'm too loud they'll wonder what I'm doing."

"I understand," he said, then shuddered as he wondered what his body was doing in Asgard. Was he speaking aloud? Moving? What if his mother came in?

He should have set up a ward. Why was he making juvenile mistakes?

"Whoa, I might be okay right now, but you clearly aren't," said Sophia, who was eying him curiously. "I can feel that - what are you so worried about?"

"Nothing," he said quickly, "Have you recovered from yesterday?"

"Of course not, I haven't recovered," she said, crossing her arms over her chest. "You don't recover from something like that, you just hope you don't feel like that again. But," she said, squinting, "don't change the subject. You want to prove you're real? Then what are you worried about?"

Loki squirmed. He didn't like this, he didn't think he'd be able to hide a lie if she could feel his emotions. "I'm worried I'll be discovered on my end. I made a mistake and didn't protect myself properly."

"On your end?" Sophia looked dubious.

Loki felt even more anxious as he pictured his mother coming in. "Hold on," he said, "I don't know what will happen, but I'm going to see if I can fix that. If I'm gone, I have an idea how to re-establish...this."

Closing his eyes, Loki focused on his body, trying to find where he felt the bench pressing against his thighs and the faint smell of pine. Feeling slightly dizzy, he increasingly felt the bench, as though waking up, and opened his eyes.

The connection - Loki didn't think of it as a spell - was still active, it seemed. He didn't feel differently. Looking down at his arms, Loki didn't see Osk's magic, which surprised him. Getting up quickly, he quickly laid down a ward to alarm him and trip someone coming in through the door. In an effort to deter a visitor, he wove an illusion of himself still sleeping in bed.

As he finished laying it down, he heard a gasp. Whipping around while simultaneously preparing a sleep spell, he stopped short when he saw Sophia standing a few feet away.

Her eyes widened as she saw the glimmering magic he was holding. She didn't say anything, but began trembling. It wasn't in fear, however. He sensed she was overwhelmed.

Understandably.

Allowing the spell to dissipate from his fingers, Loki slowly walked towards the woman. It was likely she was present in the same way he had visited her - her body remaining in her home. Though how, he didn't yet comprehend.

"How - how…" She opened her mouth, but couldn't articulate anything.

"The same way I visited you," Loki said gently. "Sophia, it's alright. This is good, in fact. We're figuring this out." Perhaps if he kept talking, it might help her ground herself.

"My mind wouldn't be able...to imagine this much detail…" she said, slowly turning to look at the architecture.

Loki never really thought about what his chambers looked like, since he had seen them every day. The ceilings were painted in Asgardian style with clouds and stars, stirring with gentle movement. Tall pillars on the sides held up the ceiling, with gilded partitions dividing the area where he slept, spent time, and ate. The cushioned benches around him, with end tables, were kept in a dark blue with small embroidered stars. A balcony with ornate railings stood outside, the city and mountains providing a breathtaking view.

He considered teasing her once again about things being in her head, but he realized she was in a tenuous state. She might reject the connection or grow despondent.

Reaching out slowly, he touched her on the shoulder. Sophia jumped and looked at him wide-eyed.

"Welcome to Asgard," he said softly.

"It's a real place, isn't it." Finally, it was sinking in. "This must be real, or if it's a delusion, it's incredible. I don't care." A smile crept across her face. "I mean, it's everything. Smells, sight - is that snow? Touch…" at this, she reached up and touched his arm, shaking her head, "Sounds...except taste, that's all that's left."

Loki smiled, letting go of her shoulder. "It was the same when I visited you as well." This was the first time he'd gotten close to her. He had noticed she was short previously, but wasn't quite aware of how short - probably a foot below him.

She frowned, her mind clearly working. "If this is a method of communication - then how is it even possible I can use all these senses?" She walked toward a partition, touching the edge almost reverently.

He'd forgotten about her curiosity. "I'm not certain myself," he said, "it's odd that it's as though you are...present. It's possible that my mind could be sending you the signals it's receiving on this end." He shook his head, thinking aloud. "What is strange to me is that we can touch something that the other isn't touching and still receive the stimuli…"

Loki's musings were interrupted by three sharp bangs on his door. _Fuck._ It was definitely Thor.

Sophia's eyes met his and he felt her rising worry. He put his finger on his lips to indicate she should keep quiet, and didn't move himself. Hopefully Thor would get bored or think he wasn't there.

Three more bangs. "Lokiiiiiiii." There was a *thok* against the door that was probably Thor's forehead. "Come on." A pause. "I need to talk with you." Another pause. "Goddamnit." Then he heard Thor walking away and relaxed.

He dropped his finger. "I apologize," he said. "That was just my brother, Thor."

"Oh," she said sarcastically. "_Just_ the famous god of thunder. Got it."

"Hey," Loki said, acting hurt. "I'm not famous on…." he paused. "Where are you from, Sophia?"

"You don't know?" she asked wryly, then winced. "Obviously you don't, sorry. Earth." She paused briefly. "Do you feel anything from him? The same way we're communicating?"

"No, this is exclusively between us, I believe." He cocked his head, then considered what she said about her home world. "There's a lot of places that are just called 'home,' or 'planet' in their mother tongue, and that name is translating to the same."

She blinked. "Translating…? Well, I suppose if you were to put it in terms of the Nine Realms, this was called Middle-Earth. Midgard. Back then." She gave a small smile. "And no, unfortunately, you're not as famous as your brother."

"Ah well," said Loki playfully, shrugging, "I guess you get to spend time with the lesser of the gods."

"But far more interesting!" Sophia said with a laugh.

Loki gestured to a nearby bench. "Are you able to sit down?" he asked curiously. It was likely, but still important to check how the apparition interacted with matter. She did so dutifully, crossing her legs.

"Yep."

"Interesting," said Loki, going to an side table and grabbing a plum. Taste was the only sense untested. If Sophia wasn't present physically, would something like that, which required matter, even be possible?

It was worth a try.

"Catch," he said, and tossed the plum to her. With a smooth motion, she caught it and examined it. Then her eyes widened. "Oh," she said quietly.

"Yes," he said in response, "you're interacting with matter. Can you take a bite?"

Sophia hesitated, then took a petite bite, having to suck at it so that juice didn't dribble down her chin. Holding her hand in front of her mouth as she chewed, she smiled and swallowed. "It's good and ripe."

Loki rubbed his mouth contemplatively; he didn't taste anything. "Interesting," he repeated, crouching down to look at her closely. When she swallowed, was it transferring between Realms? Looking at him wide-eyed, she asked politely, "May I take another bite?"

A smile spread across his face. "Of course." Then a test came to him. "Can you focus on being in Midgard once more?"

She looked at him, trying to understand. "What do you mean?"

"When I brought...myself...back here, I tried to focus on what my body was feeling here, while I was sitting."

"Oh, yes, it simply looked like you closed your eyes on my end."

"My - apparition didn't vanish? Did you touch me at all?"

"No to both. So you want me to focus on my...body?"

"If you can."

Sophia looked around for a spot to put down the plum. "Oh!" Loki said quickly, "no, try and hang onto that. I'm curious about something."

"You want to see if I have it on Earth - Midgard - don't you."

Loki grinned, surprised at how enjoyable it was to speak with her. He'd never expected a discussion with someone from a lesser Realm would be at all interesting. "It's just a test. Smart of you to catch it, though."

Sophia smiled smugly and placed the hand holding the plum in her lap. Closing her eyes, she drew in a measured breath. Her forehead wrinkled as she seemed to try and focus, then she grew still.

The plum vanished.

Loki's heart beat faster in surprise and anticipation, relishing the chance to examine something extraordinary. While this phenomenon was not impossible, given the laws of science and magic, it was nigh improbable.

Could he go back? He closed his eyes and tried to focus on Sophia's room once more. A brief spell of dizziness, and opening his eyes, he was there.

Sophia sat on her bed, eating the plum. "I can't believe it - does this mean that…"

"Matter is transferring between Asgard and Midgard!" he burst out, laughing at his childish enthusiasm. "This is - amazing - it's like…" he hated to say it, because it was so inaccurate, but it seemed so correct to describe the circumstance. "Like...a miracle."

Sophia took another bite, smiling. "Your happiness is infectious," she said, trying to hold back laughter herself. "Oh, am I - I'm probably feeling yours, aren't I." Her eyes crinkled with joy. "That's not a bad thing."

Loki was still in thought, amused. Sophia looked around at her room and shook her head. "I'm here all the time - let's go back to Asgard, it's much more interesting than this hellhole." With that, she grew still once more.

Excited, Loki focused and switched back to Asgard; it was becoming easier.

She was still there on the bench, this time with the plum. Overcome with sheer joy, he didn't think - he ran over and grabbed her in a hug, lifting her up off her feet. She shrieked in surprise, then laughed, relaxing in his embrace and squeezing back.

Loki's anxieties rushed back, however, and he blushed, putting her down. "I apologize," he said, stepping back. "I hope you weren't offended." He couldn't believe he'd broken decorum in such a manner. It was just so exhilarating to share such an experience with someone else.

He hadn't done so in a long time. Not since his days learning magic with his mother.

Sophia's smile faded. "You'd know if I was uncomfortable, I think. And I truly don't mind. I'm not used to being touched, but - it felt good to finally hug someone," she said in a reassuring tone.

Before he could respond, there was a thud, and, horrified, Loki looked up to see his brother on the balcony.

"I _knew_ you were in here!" Thor said accusingly, fastening Mjolnir to his belt. "Why didn't you answer your door?"

Sophia bolted up from the bench and stared in surprise. Loki glanced at her, then back at Thor. "Maybe because I need a thing called 'privacy'?" he growled.

Thor rolled his eyes. "What could you possibly be doing that needs privacy?"

Loki frowned, blinking rapidly as he tried to think of a coherent response to such a stupid question.

Thor reached over and selected a plum, tossing it in the air before catching it and taking a bite. Loki winced once more at the crunch. Another plum taken before it was ripe.

By this point, Loki had expected that Thor would have noticed Sophia, who drew closer to Loki. She still hadn't said a word, presumably in case she could be heard, even if she couldn't be seen.

"I recall you not wanting to know about some of my activities," he said defensively.

"Oh please, brother," Thor said nonchalantly, "that all went out the window last night." He hopped over the back of a bench and sat down.

"Did it?" Loki's anger rose. "I'm sorry, I couldn't tell when the rules changed. Your threat was effective, so I don't necessarily know when it's appropriate to talk with you or not."

"Alright, calm down," Thor said with a frown. "No more threats. I need to speak with you."

Loki put his face in his hands, trying to contain how upset he was.

"Don't keep it in." It was Sophia.

Shit, she could feel his emotions. Loki looked up at Thor, who hadn't moved and was taking another bite of his plum.

Sophia crossed her arms and he felt a pang of her nervousness as she addressed him. "If you're this upset by what he's doing, you need to tell him."

That seemed like a bad idea. He didn't know what to say, how to articulate how he was feeling in a way that made sense. If he just lashed out, Thor would likely discount it or, he feared, get angry.

Loki flexed his hands nervously as he wished he could get rid of either visitor. He felt exposed, nowhere safe to go, not even inside himself. "What is it, Thor?"

Thor looked up at him and seemed to hesitate, playing with the half-eaten plum in his hand. "Um…" He squinted, giving a confused frown as he tried to hide it behind a false smile. "You know what, nevermind." With that, he got up.

What? Why all the fuss? "Thor! You invaded my room for this. The least you owe me is a little explanation."

Thor stopped. He was looking down at his feet, shifting uncomfortably, but didn't move. Such a sudden change in his demeanor from his arrogant self moments ago certainly meant that Thor was trying to tell him something important.

Moving away from Loki, Sophia slowly began to cross the sitting area, moving toward Thor, peering at him intently. Given the way most women acted around his brother, Loki expected her to be smitten. As he concentrated, he found himself better able to feel her less prominent emotions.

She was filled with curiosity, but more interestingly, there were undercurrents of bittersweet sadness, confusion, and a strange sense of fulfilment. She squinted her eyes as though trying to figure something out.

Finally turning his attention to Thor, Loki spoke. "Is this about what upset you yesterday?"

Thor looked up, as though interrupted with thought, with a pained smile, reaching up to rub his beard with his hand. "You know, I'd never thought anything like this would happen." He set the plum down almost gently. "I was upset because…" he squeezed his eyes closed, "I saw the future." With that, he opened them, likely to gauge Loki's reaction.

Loki's jaw dropped as he stared at his brother. Thor had been so resistant to everything, so angry, and Osk's prediction had come true. If so, why was Thor seemingly filled with trepidation?

"I know it seems strange. The night after we met Osk, I had a vision. For a while afterward I thought it was a dream, but...it was no dream." Thor sat down, rubbing his hands together. "It was too real, too vivid. I could have sworn I was there had I not known otherwise."

"Thor," said Loki, coming closer and sitting down, "I had a vision as well. The next morning."

Thor met his gaze, his eyes widening. "What was it about?"

"You first," said Loki, a smile passing over his face.

Thor leaned back, rubbing his face vigorously. "But I don't want to."

Loki's smile faded. "Was it bad?"

His brother slouched down and started hitting his head slowly, repeatedly, against the back of the bench. "Yep."

Loki saw movement out of the corner of his eye and nearly jumped when he saw Sophia. He'd briefly forgotten she was still there. She had her arms crossed and was watching the exchange with great interest. He shook his head to focus. "Brother, you'll have to tell me at some point."

Thor let out a sigh of resignation, but remained slouched, staring at the ceiling. "I was in a large vessel that had been attacked. Loki, it was like I was truly there; I could smell ozone and smoke. Blood was in my mouth and I was exhausted, wounded."

"So you were not an apparition or an observer?" asked Loki, leaning forward and clasping his hands.

"No, I was - I was there. I can't explain it - I - I had a thousand emotions running through me that I didn't understand, but they weren't coming from me. Grief, anger, fear, sadness." He sat back up, looking at Loki, then down at his hands. "Around me were…" his voice trailed off. It took him a couple seconds before he was able to say the words. "Asgardians. Slaughtered. Not warriors or Einherjar, but men, women, and children."

Loki was stunned, but managed to force out his first thought, as much as he hated it: "By you?"

Thor shook his head, too wrapped up in the memory to notice the implication. "By enemies. Their faces and forms I could not make out, but like in a dream, I knew who they were. Loki - Loki - you were...there."

He looked up into Loki's eyes, then back down, gritting his teeth until at last he spoke. "Pointing your dagger at the throat of a Titan. He had stopped you by some magic and - took you by the throat…" Running his fingers up into his hair, Thor pulled on it, a nervous habit he had from when he was a child. "...and...killed you."

A chill ran down Loki's spine, settling into his stomach as he tried to understand what Thor was telling him. "You saw me die."

Thor rocked a little, then wiped his eyes quickly, still avoiding eye contact with Loki. "I didn't just - see it, brother. I felt it. Howling grief ripping me apart, a pain like I've never known. I wish - I wish I could diminish its memory, but…" He clapped his hands together, giving a fake laugh. "I can't, I just can't."

Loki was stunned. In comparison, his vision was minimal. Nothing. Thor, unable to help? Stopped by magic? What magic was stronger than his? He shook his head, trying to stop the multitude of questions flooding his mind.

Thor was clearly distraught, and Loki realized he was as well, but - no. Well, yes. But it wasn't just his emotion. He'd been so focused on his brother he'd blocked out the sounds of crying next to him.

Sophia had her face in her hands and was trying to stifle the sounds of her weeping. Loki was acutely aware that if he gave her attention, he would alert his brother to something amiss. As much as he wanted to speak with her and help, he couldn't.

He didn't know how Thor would react.

Loki finally spoke, giving voice to his biggest question. "Thor, are you certain this vision was of the future?"

Thor looked up, that pain etched behind his eyes. "In many ways, that's the worst part of it all." He looked away from Loki into the distance. "Along with it, I felt - I know the approximate time."

Loki frowned, looking at his brother in disbelief. "That's not possible."

"And seeing the future is?" Thor wrinkled his nose. "Seems like this all is...defying nature."

"How long, then, do you think?"

Thor closed his eyes, taking a deep breath before he spoke. "Eight years."

Loki gasped and bolted upright. "You're joking! Tell me you're joking."

"I wish I was, brother. I wish I didn't need to tell you, but keeping it secret - it was too hard. I'm sorry. I'm - I'm so, so sorry."

His mind reeled at the thought. It was a death sentence. Eight years was nothing, a blink. It might as well be tomorrow.

Thor crossed over to him, enveloping him in a hug. As hard as he tried not to, Loki began to shake at the specter of his own demise.

Over his heartbeat in his ears, he heard Sophia's voice, and it took a few moments to register what she was saying.

"He's holding something back," she was saying shakily, "I don't know how I know, but it's important."

What could be more important than this? Wrestling himself out of Thor's embrace, he snapped. "SHUT UP! Would you fuck off, please?!"

Thor stepped back, his eyes wide. "I - "

"Not you!" Loki said vehemently.

The woman flinched, more tears running down her face. "I don't know how - "

"Figure it out!"

She shrunk back. "I'll try…"

"Brother." Thor sounded concerned. "Are you alright? I know this is hard news…"

Loki laughed ironically. "No - no. I am very much not alright. Eight years..." He paced back and forth anxiously, then turned to Thor. "Tell me you know more than this. Some way out, something."

Several expressions crossed Thor's face. "I'm sorry, Loki. I didn't see more that night." He scowled, curling his hands into fists. "This isn't right. I don't understand how those goddamned Seers could have dealt with something like this. It's a curse." He shook his head. "No one should have this power, no one! Not even such knowledge."

Loki continued to walk, trying to collect himself, his mind going all over the place but shrinking back at the thought of him...ending. Not existing.

He stopped suddenly. "Please tell me it was at least an honorable death," he said softly, not daring look at his brother.

"It was," said Thor tersely.

Loki looked at him. "Would you tell me if it wasn't?" His heart grew heavier in his chest, and he felt once more like that young child, ready to weep.

Thor's eyes widened. "You can't ask me that, brother. I can't tell you."

Loki felt a rising agitation, turning to see Sophia still standing there. Her eyes widened. "I'm sorry," she said, "I'm trying - I just can't focus, there's so much going on..."

He didn't know how to deal with this, all of this. It was far too overwhelming. Sophia, the past, the future, Thor...all of it. He put his head in his hands. Thor came close once more, putting his hand on Loki's arm.

"Is the future set in stone?" Sophia's voice cut through his mind once more. "It just seems that…"

Loki leaned his head back in frustration, then looked directly at her. "Go. Home," he said through gritted teeth.

She took a step forward this time, and he felt her rising anger. "No. This is important," she said. "I don't know how this is happening, but I do know there's something more going on."

"Loki, with whom are you speaking? Is this another trick?" Thor asked. "If it's a trick, it's not a very good one."

"No! It's not a trick!" Loki couldn't focus, couldn't find the part of himself where he could collect, draw himself together and put on the mask other people saw. Thor had opened a vulnerability and he had no way to hide. It felt like his mind was beginning to scream.

It was in that moment that something changed. He no longer was breathing fast, heart pounding, adrenaline racing. The difference was dizzying, and he tried to focus when he heard his own voice.

"I'm sorry if I'm causing you concern, Thor, it's just that I'm scared myself."

Blinking, he saw himself - or his body - from a different perspective. As he stared at himself, he saw Sophia, somehow, as though the two bodies were transposed upon one another. He was, no doubt, in her position. A rage began building up within him as he realized his body had been stolen from him.

Thor eyed Sophia carefully. "That doesn't answer my question."

She crossed his - her - arms and said, defensively, "What else aren't you telling me?"

Shifting suddenly, Thor pulled back, searching his brother's eyes. "You're perceptive, Loki. I always underestimate that." He paused. "It's too soon, brother. This vision was hard enough."

Sophia looked at him sharply. "There's another vision, then?"

Thor blinked. "Yes. But Loki - why not take some time to deal with…"

"Let's get it all out there; you said you couldn't keep this a secret. I'll tell you what I saw afterwards."

Shifting, Thor took a deep breath and let it out, seemingly trying to concentrate. "My second vision came last night," he said. "I was not asleep, so I was more aware of the...feelings beforehand. I will say, for something that is so cursed a power, the feeling of...connection to Time itself is exhilarating. I don't practice magic as you do, but I imagine that it's what it feels like."

Loki was seething, trying to figure out how the woman had taken his body. He'd tried focusing to no avail. This strange magic was disconcerting. Trying to deepen his breaths, he closed his eyes, trying to remember what it felt like to be in his own body.

"This vision was different, and had I not been prepared, knowing now what it was, I would have thought it more akin to a dream. As you asked before, this time I was an observer of events, not a participant. I stood upon a battlefield of verdant green, scarred with war, on a planet I did not know. Around me were warriors locked in combat. A sound like the sharpest crack of thunder crossed the battlefield, and around me every other warrior fell to ashen dust."

Loki couldn't focus as his brother went on. He felt as though he needed to listen; it was too important. His brother's tone was just as grave as it was when describing the first vision.

"The vision changed, and I saw people living their lives on different worlds in different Realms, some familiar, some not. Around me families cried out as loved ones disintegrated. Over. And over. And over. And over." Thor's eyes were distant and his face grew almost cold. "I thought it would never end."

This was Loki's chance while Sophia was likely distracted. He focused quickly on his body, mentally trying to oust Sophia.

It worked. Relief flooded his veins as he regained his senses, eyes already trained on his brother's face.

Glaring over at Sophia, who crossed her arms with a huff, he turned to Thor. "It must have been difficult."

"Not as difficult as my first vision, but yes. I think it's the event that...Osk mentioned."

Loki searched his memory. "The great wrong."

"Yes. It certainly...feels like it's the event that is the source of that dread I've been feeling since the first vision we shared."

Loki's feelings were pushed to the background as his curiosity was peaked. "Interesting. Did you get the same sense of timing as with the first vision?"

Thor nodded and paused. Licking his lips, he finally said, "Eight years."

Loki shook his head, beginning to slowly pace once more.

"Believe me," Thor said, "I've tried to discern what further meaning I could, but. After last night's vision, I knew I couldn't hold this from you."

Loki held up a hand. "I understand." He sighed. "It seems like both these events are…" his voice drifted off as he failed to find the right word.

Both of them stood lost in thought.

Loki slowly turned, watching as Sophia walked closer to Thor, scrutinizing him. Then she looked back at Loki. "I don't understand it. I don't - I - " she laughed in disbelief.

Loki closed his eyes at her reaction. This day could not get worse.

"I can feel his emotions the same way I'm feeling yours."

Loki opened his eyes and stared at her, his heart beginning to beat faster. He bit his tongue, trying not to say anything.

She shook her head, "I mean, I don't get a lot of what's going on, but this I feel - so sure about. I've never seen him before, but…" Uncertain, she started picking at her hand. "Loki, I saw what he saw in his vision as he ran it through his head. Not when he described it, but beforehand. That's why I was so upset." He felt a pang of desperation and hope as she asked, "Have you had anything like that happen so far?"

Loki shook his head only a little bit.

Sophia moved closer and, before Loki could say anything, touched Thor gently on the arm.

"BLAGH!" he shouted, jumping back suddenly, before pointing a finger at Sophia. "Where the FUCK did she come from?!"

Loki was wrong. The day could get worse.


End file.
